


Twins that Lived: Holly Potter

by ShaniLeyba



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad Jokes, Bad Puns, Bisexual Character, Crossdressing, F/F, F/M, LGBTQ Character, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Multi, Other, Polyamory, Sexual Content, Twin AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2018-08-27 16:18:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 84
Words: 280,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8408347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaniLeyba/pseuds/ShaniLeyba
Summary: When Harry and Holly are rescued by kind half-giant and enrolled into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft they learn not just about their past but also their future. Read about how they learn to play Quidditch, find love, battle beasts, and go up against their nightmares.





	1. Chapter 1

Ten years have passed since the Dursleys found the Potter twins on their front step, but the Privet Drive had hardly changed at all, even after the arrival of them. Even the Dursley living room was hardly changed; ten years ago there were a lot of pictures of what seemed like a large pink beach ball wearing different bobble hats – but Dudley was no longer a baby. The photographs were now filled with a large, blond boy riding his first bicycle, playing a computer with his father, being kissed and hugged by his mother. There was no sign at all that another boy and a girl lived with them.  
Yet Harry and Holly Potter were there, asleep at the moment, but not for long as their aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which ended up making the first noise of the day.  
"Up! Get up! Now!"  
Holly groggily opened her, not wanting to be woken up. Her aunt knocked on the door loudly again.  
‘Up!’ she searched through the door. Holly sat up as she heard her walking towards the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being placed on the cooker. Holly rubbed her eyes and poked her brother on the other bed with her foot. Harry rolled on to his back and tried to get used to the light. Holly’s thoughts raced back to the dream she had. It had a flying motorbike in it and she had a strong feeling of déjà vu.  
Their aunt came back outside the door.  
‘Are you both up yet?’ she demanded.  
‘Almost,’ said Harry as he tried to get his sister to wake from her sleep daze.  
‘Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon, Holly. And Harry, get the toasts done. And don’t you dare let them burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy’s birthday.’  
Harry groaned and Holly lightly banged her head against the wall.  
‘What did you say?’ their aunt snapped.  
‘Nothing, nothing …’  
Urgh, Dudley’s birthday – how on Earth could have they have forgotten? Holly got out of bed and looked around for her other sock, finding it under her bed. She pulled off the spider off it and pulled it on. They were used to the spiders (though Holly didn't absolutely love them), because the cupboard underneath the stairs was full of it. And that was where they slept.  
Holly changed with Harry and went down the hall into the kitchen to get started with the bacon. The whole table was almost hidden beneath the birthday presents for Dudley. It looked as though Dudley got another computer, and another television and a racing bike. Holly raised her eyebrow at the last one, she did not understand why on Earth would Dudley, who hates exercise and was very fat, want a racing bike. The only thing that could be counted as a exercise for Dudley was punching people, which of course meant that the Potters were a victim of this. However, they were pretty fast and were often able to get away.  
Harry walked into the kitchen and got the toasts ready.  
‘Good morning, Holls,’ said Harry. Holly smiled at him lightly.  
‘Morning, Hars,’  
Harry and Holly wore Dudley’s old clothes, the latter was four times his size, looked even skinner and small than he really was. Both the Potters were pretty similar, they both had thin faces, skinny legs, and bright green eyes. The only difference was that Holly had bright red hair whilst Harry had jet back hair and wore glasses held together with a Sellotape because of all times Dudley got him on the nose. And they both had lightning shaped scars, Harry on the forehead and Holly a scar down her left eye.  
Neither of them knew where they came from, and if they questioned their aunt, all she replied with was:  
‘In the car crash when your parents died,’ she would say. ‘And don’t ask questions.’  
That was the very first rule for the Potters in the Dursley household.  
Uncle Vernon came into the kitchen as Holly was getting the last go of bacons and Harry was setting plate of toasts.  
‘Comb your hair!’ barked Uncle Vernon, startling Holly causing a little noise with the pans.  
‘Be careful,’ said Harry. Uncle Vernon always had a problem with Harry and Holly's hair, almost every week they would be forced to have a haircut but for some unknown reason they would grow back the same again, even Holly wondered why they were like this. Her hair grew fast too but not as fast as Harry’s.  
By the time Holly had gotten eggs on the stove, Dudley arrived in the kitchen. He was totally like a mini version of Vernon. He had a large, pink face, not muc neck, small watery blue eyes and thick, blond hair on his fat head. He was known to her as Porky.  
Holly placed the plates of eggs and bacon on the table with difficulty, due to the amount of presents on it. However, Dudley on the other hand had counted up his presents and his face fell after doing so.  
‘Thirty-six,’ he said, looking at his parents. ‘That’s two less than last year.’ Harry rolled his eyes. Holly shook her head unnoticeably.  
The Dursleys on the other hand tried to quiet the tantrum Dudley was throwing by showing him Aunt Marge’s gifts and offering to buy two more for him at the zoo (where they planned to go for Dudley’s birthday). Harry wolfed his breakfast down which made Holly giggle. ‘Poor’ Dudley couldn’t even figure out the total presents. Thirty-nine.  
As Harry and Holly watched their cousin unwrap his gifts, Aunt Petunia went to answer the phone, and when she had returned, Holly noticed that she looked pretty worried AND angry. Trouble. She gave Harry a look and he understood.  
‘Bad news, Vernon,’ she said. Holly bit her lower lip, hoping it didn't mean another beating for her or even worse Harry. ‘Mrs Figg’s broken her leg. She can’t take those two,’ she said jerking her head towards Harry and Holly. Holly watched Dudley’s horrified expression and Harry’s somewhat hopeful face. She could figure out why. Every year on their cousin’s birthday, his parents always took him and one of his friend’s out for the day to different exciting places. And just like that, every year Harry and Holly were left behind at Mrs Figgs, a weird lady who lived nearby, and her whole house would smell like cabbage and would be filled with cats. Holly kind of hoped she wouldn’t end up like Mrs Figg, though she did enjoy playing with the cats.  
‘Now what?’ said Aunt Petunia, looking at the twins angrily as if they had done this. Holly deeply hated that look; it was if every problem that ever fell on the Dursley’s was her and her brother’s fault.  
‘We can call Marge,’ suggest Uncle Vernon.  
‘Don’t be silly, she hates them.’ Holly made a face at her aunt’s reply, those cats loved her. Their aunt and uncle, especially, would often talk in this way, as if the twins were invisible. Or some people who do not understand the English language.  
‘What about your friend Yvonne?’  
‘On holiday in Majorca,’ snapped back Aunt Petunia.  
Suddenly, Harry spoke up. ‘You could leave us both here,’ Harry and Holly looked hopeful but knew they would never, ever agree to this. And as expected, Aunt Petunia made a nasty face and harshly said  
‘And come back and find the house in ruins?’  
Harry was about to speak up when he saw Holly shaking her head no and decided not to say anything. Well, the Dursleys weren’t even listening anyway.  
‘Maybe we can take them to the zoo … and leave them in the car …’  
‘The car is new; we can’t leave them in it alone …’  
At this, Dudley began to cry, well not really crying, just screwing his face up more than it already was and wailing (which would immediately get his aunt’s attention and he would get whatever he wanted). The Twins watched Dudley perform the typical drama about how they (the Potter twins) always spoiled everything. Holly looked away just as the doorbell rang.  
Aunt Petunia went to open the door and came back with Dudley’s best friend, Pier Polkiss, who came with his mother. He was a pretty scrawny boy with a face that resembled that of a rat. Holly disliked him very much considering his was always the one who helped Dudley beat up other kids. And he also tried to pull her hair once. At least Dudley stopped his horrible wailing when his friend came in.  
About half an hour later of all the drama in the kitchen, the Potter twins found themselves on the way to the zoo for the first time in their lives. Holly couldn’t believe it, really, she had always wanted to go to a zoo, all those animals was like a dream come true for her. But before they had gotten on the car, Uncle Vernon had warned both the Potters that if there was any trouble on the little trip, they will not be allowed out of the cupboard until Christmas.  
‘We’re not going to do anything, honestly …’ Harry and Holly spoke in unison but Uncle Vernon didn’t believe them at all. As far as Holly knew, no one ever did.


	2. Chapter 2

"We’re not going to do anything, honestly …" Harry and Holly spoke in unison but Uncle Vernon didn’t believe them at all. As far as Holly knew, no one ever did.

But Uncle Vernon didn't believe them. No one ever did.

The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and Holly and it was just no good telling the Dursley's that they didn't make them happen.

Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry and Holly coming back from the barbers looking as though they hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut Harry's hair until he was almost bald though he left him fringe, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night telling Holly how school the next day will be like, where they were already laughed at for their baggy clothes and scarred faces. Though Holly was more concerned about comforting Harry. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find her hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. This got him a BIG from Holly,but they hadn't been given food for three days and a week in their cupboard for this, even though they had tried to explain that they couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.

Another time, 'Dear' Aunt Petunia got a letter from the headmistress about how Holly had brought tons of frogs into the Science clasroom and made her History's teacher lunch explode.Then there was that time when they'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing them as usual when, as much to the Potters' surprise as anyone else's, there they were sitting on the chimney.

The Dursley's had received a very angry letter from Potters' headmistress telling them Harry and Holly had been climbing school buildings. But all they'd tried to do (as they shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of their cupboard, after being told they weren't having any food for a week.) was jump behind the big trashcans outside the kitchen doors. Holly supposed that the wind must have caught them in mid-jump.

But today, nothing was going to go wrong.

It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, their cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Holly, the bank, and Harry and Holly were just a few of his favorite subjects.

This morning, it was motorcycles.

"…roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.

"I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Holly, remembering suddenly. "It was flying.""

Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry and Holly, his face like a gigantic beet with a moustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"

Dudley and Piers sniggered.

"I know they don't," said Holly. "It was only a dream."

But she wished she hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursley's hated even more than Harry or her asking questions, it was them talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think they might get dangerous ideas.

Holly looked at Harry and saw mouth 'I had the same dream too.' She noted that they should talk later about it.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursley's bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry and Holly what they wanted before they could hurry them away, they bought each of them a cheap lemon ice pop.

It wasn't bad, either, Holly thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blonde.....and not as ugly.

The Potters had the best morning they'd had in a long time. They were careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursley's so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting them and so they could talk a little more freely about the motorbike dream. Holly was really excited that they had the same dream.

"Maybe it's a twin thing." Harry said as Holly hugged him and nuzzled his head.

"Or maybe it means we're going to have grand adventure in the future!" Holly said happily as Harry sighed. His sister was always trying to make him feel better.

They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry and Holly were allowed to finish the first.

Holly felt, afterward, that she should have known it was all too good to last.

After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can — but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.

Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.

"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.

"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.

Harry and Holly moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. Holly wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself (heavens knows she would) — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least they got to visit the rest of the house.

“You poor thing. You should be free, right Harry?” said Holly as she pressed her hand to the glass.

The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry and Holly. It winked.

Harry and Holly stared. Then Harry looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. The grinning Holly kept looking at the snake and winked, too.

The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry and Holly a look that said quite plainly:

"I get that all the time."

"I know," Holly murmured through the glass, though she wasn't sure the snake could hear her. She was also stopping her grin from becoming wider.

"It must be really annoying." Harry continued.

The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Holly peered at it.

"Boa Constrictor, Brazil." she said looking back up. "Was it nice there?" She asked imagining the far away places that she wanted to see.

The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Holly read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?"

As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry and Holly made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.

"Out of the way, you," he said, pushing Harry and Holly out of the way. Caught by surprise, they fell hard on the concrete floor gasping. It was the same spot where two nights before Holly had been hit by her uncle.

What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.

Harry and Holly sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.

The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past him, Holly could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigos."

"No problem!" She whispered happily as she gave a quick wave.

The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.

"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?""

The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry and Holly had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed (which amused Holly), but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death.

But worst of all, for them at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry and Holly were talking to it, weren't you?"

Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on the twin Potters. He was so angry he grabbed Holly by her hair.

Uncle Vernon then threw Holly into the cupboard, where Harry was waiting, after taking his belt to her. He locked the door and Harry and Holly could see his moustache through the little golden shutters in the door.

"No meals for a week." He growled and closed the little shutters; leaving them in the pitch black.

Harry and Holly lay in her dark cupboard much later, Holly wishing had a watch. She didn't know what time it was and Harry couldn't be sure the Dursley's were asleep yet. Until they were, Holly couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.

They'd lived with the Dursley's almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as they could remember, ever since they'd been babies and their parents had died in that car crash. Harry and her couldn't remember being in the car when their parents had died. Sometimes, when she strained her memory during long hours in her cupboard, she came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on her forehead.

This, she supposed, was the crash, though she couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. She couldn't remember her parents at all. Her aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course she was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. Leaving her to always wonder who they were, maybe brave adventurers or famous scholars or talented musicians.

When she had been younger, Holly had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take her and Harry away, but it had never happened; the Dursley's were their only family. Yet sometimes she thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know them. Very strange strangers they were, too. That just increased her imagining of who their parents were.

A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to them once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry and Holly furiously if they knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at them once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken her hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry and Holly tried to get a closer look.

At school, they had no one but each other. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated those odd Potter twins in their baggy old clothes and broken glasses in Harry's case, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.


	3. Chapter 3

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry and Holly their longest-ever punishment. By the time they were allowed out of her cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches.

The twins were glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Potter Hunting. If she wasn't so wary of punishment she would have punched those stupid blokes in their ugly faecs.

This was why the twins spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where they could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came Harry and Holly would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in their life, they wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. The twins, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny.

"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Holly. As she sat with Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?""

"No, thanks," said Holly. "The poor toilet's already has to deal with end of of you it doesn't need a worse one."

Then Harry and her ran, before Dudley could work out what she'd said.

"I doubt we needed to run." Harry said through his pants as they made their way to the park. Holly dropped onto a swing, with Harry doing the same. When she looked at Harry, she saw his expression change to one a shock.

"What? Something on my face?"

"You're eyes......" Was all Harry could say. As Holly saw her reflection in Harry's green orbs, she saw her matching green eyes had changed to a bright baby blue.

"What the...."Holly stated as she went to touch her face only to have her eyes change back. They thought that it was just a trick of light. That maybe the sunlight hit Holly just right to make her eye color appear different.

One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving the twins at Mrs. Figg's. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry and Holly watch television and gave her a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years.

That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.

As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he looked so handsome and grown-up. Holly didn't trust herself to speak. She thought two of her ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh.

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry and Holly went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. They went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in grey water.

"What's this?" Harry asked Aunt Petunia. Holly's lips tightened as they always did if she or Harry dared to ask a question.

"Your new school uniforms," she said.

Harry and Holly looked in the bowl again.

"Oh," Holly remarked, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet.""

"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dying some of Dudley's old things grey for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished."

She sat down at the table with Harry and tried not to think about how she was going to look on her first day at Stonewall High — like she was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably. Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from their new uniforms. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.

They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper. 'Just wait for it.' Holly thought.

"Make Harry get it."

"Get the mail, boy."

"Make Dudley get it."

"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."

Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Four things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and — two letters for Harry and Holly!

Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in their whole lives, had written to them. He heard Holly walk over, probably sent by Vernon to see what was taking him so long. She noticed the letters and gasped quietly as to not alert the Dursleys. Who would? They had no friends (besides each other), no other relatives, — they didn't belong to the library, so they'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, two letters, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:

_Miss. H. Potter_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

_Mr. H. Potter_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

The envelopes were thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. Strangely there was no stamp. Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, Holly saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

"Hurry up, you two!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke. Holly just rolled her eyes; she could think WAY better jokes than that.

Harry and Holly went back to the kitchen, still staring at her letter. Holly handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and Harry and Holly slowly began to open their yellow envelope.

"Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard.

"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk…"

"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry and Holly got something!"

Harry and Holly were both about to unfold the letters, which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of their hands by Uncle Vernon.

"That's mine!" said the Potter twins in unison, trying to snatch the letters back.

"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge."

"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.

Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.

"Vernon! Oh my goodness — Vernon!"

They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that the twins and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.

"I want to read that letter," he said loudly.

"I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."

"And I want mine!"  Holly spoke up.

"Get out, all three of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.

They didn't move.

"I WANT MY LETTER!" Harry and Holly shouted.

""Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.

"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both the boys by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, Holly hurried after to check on Harry, slamming the kitchen door behind them. The twins and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry and Holly, Harry's glasses dangling from one ear, laid flat on their stomachs to listen at the crack between door and floor.

"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address — how could they possibly know where they sleep? You don't think they're watching the house?"

"Watching — spying — might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.

"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want —"

Holly could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.

"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer… Yes, that's best… we won't do anything…"

"But —"

"I'm not having on, much less two, in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took her in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"

That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited the twins in their cupboard.

"Where's our letters?" said Holly, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to us?" Harry finished.

"No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly.

"I have burned it." Holly's eye widened.

"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had our cupboard on it."

"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling.

He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful.

"Er — yes, Harry and Holly— about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking… that you're both really getting a bit big for it… we think it might be nice if you both moved into Dudley's second bedroom."

"Why?" said Harry. Holly eyed her uncle skeptically.

"Don't ask questions!" snapped her uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now." The twins didn't move.

"NOW!"

The Dursley's house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry and Holly one trip upstairs to move everything they owned from the cupboard to this room. Harry and Holly sat down on the bed and stared around.

Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched.

From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want her in there… I need that room… make her get out…"

Harry sighed and stretched out on one of the beds. Yesterday the Potter twins would have given anything to be up here. Today they'd rather be back in her cupboard with that letter than up here without it.

Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof (which Holly retrieved instantly and nursed), and he still didn't have his room back. The twins were thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing they'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly.

When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to the twins, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Miss. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive —'"

With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, the twins right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Holly had grabbed Uncle Vernon around his fat neck from behind, Harry following Holly's lead. After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, which Holly had pulled out of the wrestling after Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with their letters clutched in his hand.

"Go to your cupboard — I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at the Potters. "Dudley — go — just go."

Harry and Holly walked round and round their new room. Someone knew they had moved out of her cupboard and they seemed to know they hadn't received their first letters. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time they'd make sure they didn't fail. Holly had a plan.

The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. Holly who had never really went to sleep, was sitting on her bed reading one of the untouched books. Harry nodded to Holly and walked out of the bedroom. They mustn't wake the Dursley's. They stalked downstairs without turning on any of the lights.

They were going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. Holly's heart hammered as she crept across the dark hall right behind Harry toward the front door —

"AAAAARRRGH!"

Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat — something alive!

Lights clicked on upstairs and to her horror Holly realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face.

Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that the twins didn't do exactly what they'd been trying to do. They had to listen to Vernon go at them for half an hour before Harry was ordered to go make him tea. Harry and Holly shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time they got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Holly could see six letters addressed in green ink.

"I want —" Holly began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before their eyes. Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.

"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up."

"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon.""

"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.

On Friday, no less than twenty-four letters arrived for Harry and Holly. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom.

Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.

On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Fourty-eight letters to Harry and Holly found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two-dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.

"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry and Holly in amazement.

On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. "No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today —"

Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursley's ducked, but Harry and Holly leapt into the air trying to catch one —

"Out! OUT!"

Uncle Vernon seized Harry and Holly around their waists and threw them into the hall. When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.

"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his moustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"

He looked so dangerous with half his moustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.

They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.

Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley, Harry, and Holly shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley and Harry got the beds since Holly insisted she take the little couch in the corner of the room. Dudley snored and Harry silently slept but Holly stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering… about pretty much everything. From the events of today and how thankful she was for her little brother. He was what kept her happy, hopeful, and optimistic because she had him. So she would always be there for him, and protect him with her life.

They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table.

"'Scuse me, but are any of you Miss. H. Potter or Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk."

She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:

_Miss. H. Potter_

_Room 17_

_Railview Hotel_

_Cokeworth_

_Mr. H. Potter_

_Room 17_

_Railview Hotel_

_Cokeworth_

"I a....." Harry and Holly made a grab for the letters but Uncle Vernon knocked their hands out of the way. The woman stared.

"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room.

"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.

Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared. It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.

"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television."

Monday. This reminded Harry and Holly of something. If it was Monday — and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television — then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry and Holly's eleventh birthday."

Of course, their birthdays were never exactly fun — last year; the Dursley's had given them a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day.

Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought. Holly glared silently not liking the look on his face.

"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"

It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain; there was no television in there. Harry and Holly stared in shock, what on Earth was going on?

"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"

A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them. Harry and Holly shared a glance.

"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"

It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. Holly loved the cold air. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.

The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up.

"Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully. He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Holly privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer her up at all. Holly wished for the letters to fill the room again, wanting to see the look on Vernon's face.

As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry and Holly were left to find the softest bit of floor they could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket. Holly was given the other half of the ragged blanket, which was wrapped around her as she leaned against the wall.

The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry and Holly couldn't sleep. Harry shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Holly grabbed her own stomach and played it off as nothing as she gave Harry her half of the blanket. She distracted herself by rubbing Harry's head in attempt to get him to fall asleep.

Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told the twins that they'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. They laid and watched their birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursley's would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.

"Five minutes to go." Holly whispered to Harry, who nodded in reply. Holly heard something creak outside. She hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although they might be warmer if it did.

Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.

Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea?"

"One minute to go and they'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe they sholud wake Dudley up, just to annoy him — three… two… one…

"Happy birthday, Harry!"

"Happy birthday, Holly!"

BOOM!

The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Holly bolted up with her arms raised in a karate stance (though she didn’t know karate) as she stared at the door, eyes narrowed in caution and curiosity.

Someone was outside, knocking to come in.


	4. Chapter 4

BOOM!

There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them.

"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you — I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then —

SMASH!

The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.

The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all. He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.

"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.

Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.

"An' here's Harry!" said the giant looking at Harry before noticing Holly standing protectively in front of him, though scanning him with excited eyes. "An' there's Holly!"

Harry stepped next Holly as they looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.

"Las' time I saw you two, you were only a babies," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes," he told Harry. "And yeh look completely like yer mother, Holly."

Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. Holly snickered as her eyes flashed yellow.

Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.

"Anyway — Harry, Holly" said the giant, turning his back on the Dursley's, "a very happy birthday to yehs both. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."

From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Holly opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with 'Happy Birthday Harry and Holly' written on it in green icing.

The Potters looked up at the giant. Each meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to their mouths, and what they said instead was, "Who are you?"

The giant chuckled.

"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

He held out an enormous hand and shook Holly's whole body before shaking Harry's.

"What about some tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."

His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, Holly saw that there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and felt the warmth wash over them as though they'd sunk into a hot bath.

The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."

The giant chuckled darkly.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry." He passed the sausages to Harry and Holly, who were both so hungry they had never tasted anything so wonderful, but Holly still couldn't take her eyes off the giant. She had so many questions but was unsure if she should ask them. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, she said, "I'm sorry, but we still don't really know who you are."

The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.”

"Er — no," said Harry.

Hagrid looked shocked.

"Sorry," the twins said quickly.

"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursley's, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"

"All what?" asked Harry. Holly eyes widened at the mention of their parents and leaned in for better sound.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"

He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursley's were cowering against the wall."

"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursley's, "that these both— these both! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?"

Holly thought this was going a bit far. They had been to school, after all, true their marks were bad, but that was only because they weren’t a loud to do better than Dudley."

"We know some things," Harry said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff."

"And I can know language arts and history." Holly added 

But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world."

"What world?" Holly asked. She was bouncing with excitement now. Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.

"DURSLEY!" he boomed.

Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at the Potters. "But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."

"What? Our — our mum and dad weren't famous, were they?" Harry asked as he tried to calm Holly, who looked like she might explode with curiosity and excitement. Her hair and eyes were shining.

"Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry and Holly with a bewildered stare.

"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.

Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.

"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell them anything!"

A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.

"You never told them? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer them? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from them all these years?"

"Kept what from us?" said Holly eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.

Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.

"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Holly 'nd Harry — yer a witch 'nd a wizard."

"You shouldn't say that to people, it's not very nice." Holly said not liking to be called a witch by someone even if he did give them food.

"No" chuckled Hagrid. "Yeh magical like a girl wizard yer know." The Potters looked at him shocked.

There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.

"I'm a witch?" gasped Holly.

"Like magic?" Harry continued.

"O' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'uns, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letters."

Harry and Holly stretched out their hands at last to take the yellowish envelopes, addressed in emerald green to Miss. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea and Mister H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. Holly pulled out the letter and read:

_ HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_ Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE _

_ (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) _

_ Dear Miss. Potter, _

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. _

_ Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. _

_ Yours sincerely, _

_ Minerva McGonagall, _

_ Deputy Headmistress _

"But that means that magic does exist." she said.

"Course it does who told yer that?" said Hagrid, the twins looked at Uncle Vernon who was looking very nervous.

"So not only did you not tell them but yer lied an' all?" Hagrid growled.

Uncle Vernon shrank further.

Questions exploded inside Holly's head like fireworks and she couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes Harry stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?"

"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl —

'That poor owl.' Holly thought. She just wanted to hug and cuddle the poor thing.

— a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that the twins could read upside down:

_ Dear Professor Dumbledore, _

_ Given Harry and Holly their letters. _

_ Taking them to buy their things tomorrow. _

_ Weather's horrible. Hope you're well. _

_ Hagrid _

Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.

Holly realized her mouth was open and closed it quickly. Harry snickered.

"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.

"They're not going," he said.

Hagrid grunted.

"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop ‘em," he said.

"A what?" asked Holly and Harry, interested.

"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call non magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you both grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on.""

"We swore when we took them in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of them! Wizard and Witch indeed!"

"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a — a wizard?"

Holly made a face of pure anger, her eyes flashed red and her hair frizzed up like a flame. 'HOW DARE THEY!' she thought.

"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that school — and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak! But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years.

"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you both, and of course I knew both of you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —abnormal — and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you two!"

Harry had gone very white and Holly had all her color rush to face with anger. All this time she wondered what her parents were like and now she finds out the ONE thing Harry and her knew turned out to be a lie! With her thoughts the fire grew and crackled even more. As soon as she found her voice she said, "Blown up? You told us they died in a car crash!"

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursley's scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry and Holly Potter not knowin' their own story when every kid in our world knows their names!"

"But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently.

The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.

"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, Holly, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yehs — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."

He threw a dirty look at the Dursley's.

"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…"

He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —"

"Who?" Holly asked.

"Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…"

Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah — can't spell it. All right — _Voldemort_." Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.

"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side.

Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, ten years ago. You both ‘ere just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —"

Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn.

"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — I knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anywa…"

"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill ye both, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead 'nd on yer eye? Those are no ordinary cuts. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on ye two, an' that's why yer both famous. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnon's, the Bones, the Prewett's, — an' you were only babies, an' you lived."

Something very painful was going on in Holly's mind, her head felt like she’d been hit with a bat. Just like Harry, as Hagrid's story came to a close, she saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than she had ever remembered it before — and she remembered something else, for the first time in her life: a high, cold, cruel laugh.

Hagrid was watching them sadly.

"Took both yehs from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh two ter this lot…."

"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry and Holly to jump; they had almost forgotten that the Dursley's were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched.

"Now, you listen here, you two," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured — and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion — asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"

But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing it at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…"

"Say one more thing about our parents and..." Holly growled out quietly as she glared and then the fire exploded as Holly's hair and eyes ignited in a fiery red color , but was calmed down by Harry while everyone was surprised by the exploding fire. 'I'm sorry.' she mouthed as rested her fizzled out hair on Harry's shoulder.

In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant and lit on fire by his niece, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.

"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.

The calmed down Holly and Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.

"But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?" asked Harry.

"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you two. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go?"

"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back."

"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you two finished him. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — I dunno what it was, no one does — but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."

Hagrid looked at Harry and Holly with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but the twins, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. A witch and wizard? Them? How could this possibly be? They'd spent their lives being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if they really were some witch and wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock them in the cupboard? If they really had once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick them around like footballs? Holly and Harry just found this too good to be true, which probably meant it wasn't.

"Hagrid," Harry said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think we can be a witch and wizard. We're just Holly and Harry." Holly sadly nodded in agreement. This was what she always dreamed of, but she knew that it would always be a dream.

To their surprise, Hagrid chuckled.

"Not a witch 'nd wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?"

Holly and Harry looked into the fire. Now that they think about it… every odd thing that had ever made their aunt and uncle furious with them had happened when Holly or Harry had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, they had somehow found themeselves out of their reach… dreading going to school with ridiculous haircuts, Holly and Harry managed to make it grow back… and the very last time Dudley had hit them, hadn't they got their revenge, without even realizing they were doing it? Hadn't they set a boa constrictor on him? Didn't Holly cause the fire to grow a few minutes ago?

Holly and Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at them.

"See?" said Hagrid. "Holly and Harry , not a witch or wizard — you wait, you'll both be right famous at Hogwarts."

But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. Holly glared at her uncle.

"Haven't I told you their not going?" he hissed. "They are going to Stonewall High and they'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and they need all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —"

"If they wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop them," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's chil'ren goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. Their names have been down ever since they were born. They're off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and they won't know themselves. They'll be with youngsters of their own sort, fer a change, an' they'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—"

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH THEM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" 

He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, the Potter twins saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers. Holly broke down laughing as she shoved her face into Harry's shoulder.

Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do.""

More muffled laughter from Holly. He cast a sideways look at the twins under his bushy eyebrows.

"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job."

"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry as Holly calmed down and rubbed her hurting stomach.

"Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."

"Why were you expelled?" Holly said as she gave him a hug.

"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town; get all yer books an' that."

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Holly and Harry.

"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets."

Holly couldn't believe it. After all that dreaming, hoping, and wishing someone had actually come to get them. She never expected it to be a jolly bearded giant, but that just made her more excited. Her and Harry's new life would begin soon and as a witch and wizard no less.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry and Holly woke early the next morning. Although Holly could tell it was daylight, she kept her eyes shut tight.

_ It was a dream,  _ she told herself firmly _. I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me and Harry that we are going to a school for wizards and witches. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard._

There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.

_ And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door _ , Holly thought, her heart sinking.

But she still didn't open her eyes. It had been such a good dream.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"All right," Holly mumbled, "I'm getting up."

She sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat that she was sharing with Harry fell off her. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.

Holly scrambled to her feet, so happy she felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside her and it was about to burst. She went straight to the window and jerked it open.

The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that."

Holly tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on savaging the coat.

"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl —"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.

"What?"

"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."

"Don't get lost," Harry said. As Holly took a deep breath and dove in to the big brown coat.

Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, Holly pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins, handing to Harry.

"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.

"Knuts?" Holly and Harry said.

"The little bronze ones."

Harry counted out five little bronze coins in Holly's hands, and the owl held out his leg so she could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window.

Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.

"Best be off, Harry, Holly, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. Holly and him had just thought of something that made them feel as though the happy balloon inside each of them had got a puncture.

"Um — Hagrid?"

"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.

"I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic." Holly said.

"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"

"But if their house was destroyed —" started Harry but was cut off by Hagrid:

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, Harry! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."

"Wizards have banks?" Holly asked excited and curious.

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

The twins dropped the bit of sausage they were holding."

" _Goblins_?"

"Got everythin'? Come on, then." Harry and Holly followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.

"How did you get here?" Holly asked, looking around for another boat.

"Flew," said Hagrid."

" _Flew_?" Harry asked. On a broomstick? Holly wondered. Then she became gitty with thoughts of her flying threw the sky like a comet or shooting star in the night.

"Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh."

They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying. Holly shook her head at her brother.

"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry and Holly another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?""

"Of course not," said Holly with Harry shaking his head yes, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land.

"Amazing!" Holly yelled.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"Spells — enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons' guardin' the high security vaults."

"DRAGONS!" Holly said excitedly. "THAT IS SO COOL!"

"And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."

Harry sat and thought about this while Holly questioned Hagrid about other mythical creatures that might exist. 

"Are mermaids real?"

"Aye."

"Unicorns?"

"Aye."

"Bigfoot?"

"Aye, but they'd be ruddy gits. Alway goin' on abou' their feet."

Holly stopped when Hagrid began to read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry and Holly had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, they'd never had so many questions in her life. Though Holly was still wondering why her eyes and hair changed. Was it normal in the wizarding world? Why didn't Harry's hair or eyes change?

"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page.

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself. Holly snapped out of her thoughts, to listen to the conversation.

"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice."

"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?" asked Holly.

"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?" the twins questioned.

"Why? Blimey, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone."

At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street.

Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Holly couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry, Holly? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

Holly giggled.

"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?"

"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."

"You'd like one?"

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid,"

"I'd love to have a live dragon, too." Holly commented.

Hagrid chuckled and pat Holly's head. "— here we go."

They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the notes to the Potters so they could buy their tickets."

People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. Holly couldn't stop herself from chuckling. She was so happy at what was about to come that nothing could ruin her mood.

"Still got yer letter, you two?" he asked as he counted stitches. Harry nodded and reached out for his. Holly took the parchment envelope out of her pocket.

"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh both need."

Holly quickly unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed the night before, and read:

_ HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY _

_ UNIFORM _

_ First-year students will require: _

_ 1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black) _

_ 2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear _

_ 3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) _

_ 4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) _

_ Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags _

_ COURSE BOOKS _

_ All students should have a copy of each of the following: _

_ The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk _

_ A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot _

_ Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling _

_ A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch _

_ One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore _

_ Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger _

_ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander _

_ The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble _

_ OTHER EQUIPMENT _

_ 1 wand _

_ 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) _

_ 1 set of glass or crystal phials _

_ 1 telescope set _

_ 1 brass scales _

_ Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad _

_ PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS _

"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud. Holly looked up, wondering the exact same thing.

"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.

Harry and Holly had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops. Holly looked all around. London was so big!

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all the twins had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, Holly tried running into the music stores but was pulled back by Harry, they also passed hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursley's had cooked up? If Holly hadn't known that the Dursley's had no sense of humor, she might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told her and Harry so far was unbelievable, Holly couldn't help trusting him.

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Holly wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he, Holly, and Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered them inside.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hands on Harry and Holly's shoulders, and making their knees buckle.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at the Potters, "are they — can they be —?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry and Holly… what an honor."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards Harry and Holly and seized their hands, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mister and Miss. Potter, welcome back."

The twins didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at them. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Harry was blushing up to his ears, while Holly was keeping the smile on her face. Hagrid was beaming. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, both the twins found themselves shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron."

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Miss. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Miss. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Holly, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop!"

"They remember!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? They remember me!""

Harry and Holly shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.

A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid."Harry, Holly, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"C-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you." He tried to shake Holly's hand but she quickly hid her hands before he could.

"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" she asked, quizzically.

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.

"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potters?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry or Holly to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry, Holly."

Doris Crockford shook Holly's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry and Holly.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?" Holly questioned.

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?"

Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming and Holly wondered if she'll come across some Vampires and Hags and maybe werewolves in the magical world, were treated the same way as others. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.

"Three up… two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry, Holly."

He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.

The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."

He grinned at Harry and Holly's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Holly looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.


	6. Chapter 6

He grinned at Harry and Holly's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Holly looked quickly over her shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop.

 _Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible_ , said a sign hanging over them.

"Yeah, yeh both be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."

The twins wished they had about eight more eyes. They turned their heads in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…""

A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about twins' age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "Look," the Potter twins heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —" There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments that neither of them had ever seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…

"Gringotts," said Hagrid.

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was —

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. He looked exactly like Holly imagined. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid. Holly wasn't so sure that she would NOT try that anytime soon. If given the right conditions…

A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid, Harry, and Holly made for the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Holly Potter's safe."

"You have her key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose.

Holly watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. She loved rubies and emeralds.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully. Harry and Holly both wondered what was written on the letter.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he, Harry, and Holly followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked. Holly looked towards Hagrid also wondering.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that.""

Griphook held the door open for them. The Potters, who had expected more marble, were surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off.

At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Holly tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.

Holly's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open. Once, she thought she saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late — they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

"Woohoo! It’s like a rollercoaster!" Holly screamed as rode the cart farther down.

"I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Those are stalactites." Holly yelled pointing at those which were hanging from the roof. "And those are stalagmites." she pointed to the floor.

Hagrid looked very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling. Holly was sad that the ride was over.

Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, both Potters gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.

"All yours," smiled Hagrid.

All Harry and Holly's— it was incredible. The Dursley's couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from her faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry and Holly cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to them, buried deep under London.

Hagrid helped Harry and Holly pile some of it into their little bags.

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms; we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"

"One speed only," said Griphook.

They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Holly leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid and Harry groaned and pulled her back by the scruff of her neck.

Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.

"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin. Holly made a face.

Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, the twins were sure, and they leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least — but it was empty. Then they noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor.

Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry and Holly longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. Holly snorted.

One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. The Potters didn't know where to run first now that they had bags full of money. They didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that they were holding more money than they'd had in their whole lives — more money than even Dudley had ever had.

"Might as well get yer uniforms," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, Holly, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry and Holly entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.

Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Holly started to speak. "Got the lot here — a young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over her head, and began to pin it to the right length. Doing the same thing with Holly.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Holly. Holly looked at Harry and the boy. She was only a little taller than the both of them.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry and Holly were strongly reminded of Dudley.

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No," said Harry.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No," Holly said wondering what on earth Quidditch could be. Thinking it sounded cool.

"I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No," said the twins, feeling more stupid by the minute.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?""

"Mmm," said Holly, wishing she could say something a bit more interesting.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at three large ice creams to show he couldn't come in. Holly giggled.

"That's Hagrid," said Holly, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage — lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

"I think he's brilliant," said Holly coldly. Though she didn't want to admit that she could see Hagrid setting something accidently on fire.

"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"They're dead," said Harry and Holly shortly. They didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

But before the twins could answer, Madam Malkin said to Harry, "That's it you're done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool.

"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy. Holly waited to Madam Malkin was done and quickly followed Harry's lead.

Harry and Holly were rather quiet as they ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought them.

"What's up?" said Hagrid.

"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Holly cheered up a bit when she found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. Harry buying the same. When they had left the shop, she said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"

"Blimey, Holly, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make us feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's.

"— and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —"

"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were — he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!"

"So what is Quidditch?" Holly asked again.

"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — everyone follows Quidditch — played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules."

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.

"Isn't it kinda wrong to assume that all the Slytherins are bad?" Holly asked, not liking that these 'Slytherins' were being labeled just because some were jerks.

"Aye, aye. But yeh won't think that when yeh meet some of 'em."

They bought Harry and Holly's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Holly away from _Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian._

"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley." Holly avoided Hagrid's gaze.

"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level."

Holly wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, he twins examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). Holly was pretty sure that Potions class was going to be amazing.

Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry and Holly's list again.

"Just yer wands left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday presents."

"You don't have to —"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at — an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls; they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing while Holly held a toffee colored owl that kept hooting and hopping happily. Harry couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. Holly kept saying 'thank you' and how she loved her new pet over again with glee.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursley's. Just Ollivander's left now — only place fer wands, Ollivander's, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A magic wand… this was what the twins had been really looking forward to.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read:

_Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window._

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Holly felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library; she tried to hold in the new questions that had just occurred to her and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry and Holly jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said the twins awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry and Holly Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes." the old man said, as he looked at Harry before looking at Holly. "And you look just like your mother. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.""

Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry, who wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. Holly was ready to step in if kept staring.

"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. And that's where…"

Mr. Ollivander was about to touch the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, but before he could Holly quickly grabbed Ollivander's hand and moved away from Harry's forehead. Mr. Ollivander gave Holly a look before lowering his hand, seeing the girl's eyes flash red.

"Sorry about that. I'm also sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" He shook his head and then, to the twins' relief, spotted Hagrid.

"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Holly noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke."

"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Mister and Miss. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry. Holly nodded.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Holly from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. and Ms. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Then he handed Holly a wand. " Apple and unicorn hair. Eleven inches. Slightly stiff."

Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. Holly followed Harry's lead and just like him had it snatched out of her hand.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"This one." he handed Holly another wand. "Black Walnut, dragon core, 11 and a half, pliant." But before Holly could even grasp it was pulled away from her.

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry and Holly tried. And tried. She had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customers, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

Hagrid and Holly whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…"

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…"

"Sorry," said Holly, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you and your sister those scars."

Harry and Holly swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great." Harry shivered. He wasn't sure she liked Mr. Ollivander too much.

Holly waited as Mr. Olllivander went rummaging to the back of the shop, to look for a wand that suited her. Holly tried a few more wands before she spotted one behind the counter. She was then handed it by Mr. Ollivander, he must of caught her staring.

"Yew, phoenix feather, eleven inches. Supple." Holly held the wand, it long and light colored with a ruby on its back end. She waved it and red sparks shot out.

Mr. Ollivander at the wand that he wrapped after taking it from the grinning Holly. "Very strange, unusual." Holly looked at confused. "Your wand is a lot like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's, almost the same as yours. Yew, and phoenix feather. Yew is a rare wood, it endows the possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. Also those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn hair or dragon heartstring cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike. Put them together and they form a very powerful wand." Holly listened intently pondering her fate with this wand, until she grabbed her wand box.

The twins paid seven gold Galleons each for their wands, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry, Holly, and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Holly didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; she didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with their snowy and toffee owls asleep in its cage on each of the thins' laps. Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Holly only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped her on the shoulder.

"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.

He bought Harry and Holly hamburgers and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.

"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life — and yet — he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.

"Everyone thinks I'm, well, we're special," Harry said at last.

"All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but we don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? We're famous and we can't even remember what we're famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night our parents died."

Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile. Holly had pulled her brother into a bone crushing hug and ruffled his hair.

"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've both been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact. An' yeh can always count yer sister. Same fer you Holly."

"Yep your always going to be stuck with me. Through thick and thin, heaven and hell, sweet and sour." Holly chimed in after releasing Harry.

"How lucky." Harry said sarcastically, which got him punched in the shoulder by Holly.

“You’re lucky to have me!”

"Hagrid," Holly said as she dug back in to her hamburger. "Is it normal for a witch's or wizard's eyes or hair to change color and shift?" Hagrid raised his brows.

"Like this." Holly made her eyes shift blue and her hair slightly curl at the ends. Both Harry and Hagrid's eyes widened.

"Yer a Metamorphmagus, Holly!" Hagrid spoke up, happily. The twins just looked confused?

"A what?" Harry asked. Holly was trying to pronounce 'metamorphagus' in her head so she wouldn't mess it up if she had to say it.

"They be witches or wizards that are able to change their appearence anytime. Yeh have no need fer potions or spells like others."

"Does that make me a freak?"

"No, yer not, yer gifted." Hagrid chuckled than ruffled Holly's hair.

Hagrid helped Harry and Holly on to the train that would take her back to the Dursley's, then handed them an envelope.

"Yer tickets fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursley's, send me a letter with one of yer owls, they'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry, Holly."

Holly gave Hagrid a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek before slowly making their onto the train. The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; with Holly following, they rose in their seats and pressed their noses against the window, but once they blinked and Hagrid had gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry and Holly's last month with the Dursley's wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of them, he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't them in their cupboard, force them to do anything, or shout at them — in fact, they didn't speak to them at all. Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry or Holly in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while, but the despair was pushed away by Holly's joking and optimism.

Like whenever she saw Harry begin to frown she would go on about how they could turn Dudley into a bug or a frog or a big wart on Uncle Vernom's nose when they got proficient enough at magic.

"Would be an improvement." Harry would remark and then the twins would go on and on about what Hogwarts would be like. Holly was saying it would be a beautiful flying castle, though Harry was thinking more of a secret underground cavern since it would be hidden better.

They kept themselves in their room, with their new owls for company. Harry had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic that Holly had read aloud. Their school books were very interesting, neither of the twins could put them down. Holly would often keep herself entertained during the nights she couldn't sleep, memorizing most of the books by heart. Holly kept on trying to think of a name for her owl, but for each name she thought of there were 3 more made. In the end she decided to let her owl pick.

_"Balthasar....Faybelle....Caesar....Cassiopeia...Loki...Chantilly..." Holly and Harry listed off names from the list Holly made, but Holly's owl either screeched or shook her small head. "Dolyme...Melpomene...Pandora...Artemis....Heidi-"_

_Holly's owl screeched happily and began flapping her wings inside the cage. Holly and Harry looked at each other and smiled._

_"Looks like her name is Heidi." Harry said happily as crumpled up his part of the list._

_"Hey I worked hard on that! Oh well, I guess we're Harry, Holly, Hedwig, and Heidi."_

_"Try saying that 3 times fast!" The twins broke into laughter._

Holly lay on her bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased and little Heidi had taken up resting on Holly's legs. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before she went to sleep, Holly ticked off another day on the piece of paper she had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.

On the last day of August they twins thought they'd better speak to their aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so Holly urged Harry forward to go with her and convince the Dursleys because she would most likely say something rude and ruin everything. Harry, with Holly following, went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. Holly cleared her throat to let them know they were there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.

"Er — Uncle Vernon?"

Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

"Er — We need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts."

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

Grunt. Harry and Holly supposed that meant yes.

"Thank you."

They were about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?""

Harry didn't say anything. Holly was holding her tongue with extreme effort.

"Where is this school, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. They each pulled the ticket Hagrid had given them out of their pockets.

"We just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.

Her aunt and uncle stared.

"Platform what?"

"Nine and three-quarters."

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"It's on my ticket." Holly nodded.

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon,"howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."

"Why are you going to London?" Holly asked, trying to sound friendly.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

Both Potters woke at five o'clock the next morning and were too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. As usual they would discuss in hushed whispers about what Hogwarts looked like. Holly got up and pulled on her jeans because she didn't want to walk into the station in her wizard's robes she'd change on the train. She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she and Harry had everything they needed, saw that Hedwig and Heidi were shut safely in their cages, and quickly grabbed a journal she bought back at Diagon Alley and began writing. Harry paced around the room; waiting for the Dursley's to get up. Two hours later, Harry and Holly's huge, heavy trunks had been loaded into the Dursley's' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting with the twins in the back, and they had set off.

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry and Holly's trunks onto separate carts and wheeled them into the station for them.

Holly eyed her uncle suspiciously while Harry thought this was strangely kind Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face. Then again he is always nasty, Holly thought.

"Well, there you are. Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?""

"That bastard." Holly thought.

He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. Holly really wanted to punc him. Then he left without another word. The twins turned and saw the Dursley's drive away. All three of them were laughing. Harry's mouth went rather dry and Holly was glaring at the hoping they would just burst into flames. What on earth were they going to do? They were starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig and Heidi. Holly decided to ask someone. She stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters.

The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Holly couldn't even tell what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Holly was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Holly asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one.

In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry and Holly were now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, they had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and they had no idea how to do it; they was stranded in the middle of a station with trunks they could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large and small owl."

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell them something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. Holly wondered if they should get out their wands and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind them and Holly caught a few words of what they were saying.

"— packed with Muggles, of course —""

Holly swung round taking Harry with her. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like theirs in front of him — and they had an owl.

With ease Holly pushed cart after them, motioned Harry to follow with a reassuring smile. They stopped and so did the Potters, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mum, can't I go…"

Holly thought the little girl was positively adorable. She just love little kids, they were always so cute and innocent.

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Holly watched, careful not to blink in case she missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of her and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. Holly mentally cursed.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?""

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

There was nothing else for it.

"Excuse me," Holly said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dears," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

"Yes," said Holly happily, glad they found someone that knew what they were talking about. "The thing is we don't know how-"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, Harry and Holly nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Okay!" said Holly said, noticing the look he was giving her. They were silently talking with to each other with their twin minds.

_'What are you doing?!'_

_'C'mon this isn't the strangest thing we've done so far.'_

_'I suppose.'_

Both Potters pushed their trolleys around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. Holly kept concentrating about not crashing into it. She, along with Harry behind her, started to walk toward it. People jostled her on their way to platforms nine and ten. Holly walked more quickly. She was going to smash right into that barrier and then she'd be in trouble — leaning forward on her cart, she broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — she wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — she was a foot away — she closed her eyes ready for the crash — It didn't come… she kept on running… she opened her eyes. She was instantly mesmerized by the sight.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said _Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock_. Holly looked behind her, as Harry came through just a second later, and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words _Platform Nine and Three-Quarters_ on it, she had done it.

"Yeah!" Holly cheered.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs, Holly petting and scratching a few. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry and Holly pushed their carts off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

She passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again.""

"Oh, _Neville_ ," she heard the old woman sigh.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

"Do you have everything? Sunscreen, your glasses, your back-up cloak, your Bonniebell, a 3 month supply of blood lollipops?" A tall and pale man with sunglasses asked a pale and slightly shorter but still tall girl cloaked in black and holding a parasol.

Harry pressed on through the crowd, Holly behind him, until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. They put Hedwig and Heidi inside first and then started to shove and heave their trunks toward the train door. Holly tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice she dropped it painfully on her foot. She may be tall but she was certainly not made for heavy lifting.

"Ouch!" Holly said as she clutched her aching foot.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins she'd followed through the barrier.

"No, thank you," Holly panted trying once again with the trunk and failing. The twin hadn't gone away.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!""

"Hey, what are-"

With the twins' help, Harry and Holly's trunks were at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes. Holly was just pouting with arms crossed as she looked somewhere else. She didn't need their help.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?"

"He is," said the first twin.

"Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" asked Harry.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

"Then you must be," they turned their gaze to Holly, whose eyes and hair redder than her hair. The two boys gawked at her, and Holly was getting a little creeped out. "Holly Potter."

They kept looking between Harry's lightning scar and Holly's eye scar. Holly felt herself getting red like her brother. When one of them looked to reaching for her scar, she had enough of the staring. She slapped his hand away.

"You know it’s rude to stare at people!" Holly snarled catching the male twins off guard. Before they could reply a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mum."

With a last look at Harry and Holly, the twins hopped off the train.

Holly sat down next to the window with Harry next to her where, half hidden, she could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mum — geroff" He wriggled free.

 _'Must be nice.'_ Holly thought wondering if their mother would've done that to her or Harry. Then mentally frowned at her thoughts.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins. Holly smiled, her cheeks slightly cooling.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"

"Or twice —"

"A minute —"

"All summer —""

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect. Holly chuckled at the little argument.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"

Holly got the feeling that she shouldn't have said that.

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mum."

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry; ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

"Hey, Mum, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

Both Harry and Holly leaned back quickly so they couldn't see them looking.

"You know that black-haired boy and the redhead girl who was near us in the station? Know who they are?"

"Who?"

"Harry and Holly Potter!"

The Potters heard the little girl's voice.

"Oh, Mum, can I go on the train and see them, Mum, eh please…""

"Aww," Holly cooed, she may hate the idea of being so well-known but she loved making people happy, especially little kids.

"You've already seen them, Ginny, and the poor children aren't something you goggle at in a zoo. Are they really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked them. Saw their scar. She’s–They're really there — like lightning."

"Poor dear — no wonder they were alone, I wondered. They were ever so polite when they asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think they remember what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask them, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though they need reminding of that on her first day at school."

"All right, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."

Holly thought that maybe those twins weren't so bad after all. If they were that sweet to their sister, they must not be that bad.

"George!"

"Only joking, Mum."

The train began to move. Holly and Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, and then she fell back and waved.

Holly watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. She felt a great leap of excitement. She didn't know where she was going to — but it had to be better than what they were leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite of Harry and Holly. "Everywhere else is full.""

"Was it really or just the emptiest you could find?" Holly asked.

"The emptiest I could find." Ron said. Holly smiled at him who smiled back at her.

Harry and Holly shook their heads and the boy sat down. He glanced at them and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending like he hadn’t been looking at them. Holly noticed that the boy still had a black mark on his nose, the one his mother was trying to clean off. Holly wondered how he got it.

"Hey, Ron."

The twins were back. Holly moved a little uncomfortably due what she had done earlier.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry and Holly," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.”

"Bye," said Harry and Ron, while Holly nodded. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them, but Holly just couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Holly got up. “I’ll be right back, guys. There’s something I need to do something real quick.”

Holly stepped out of the compartment just in time to see the twins a few feet down. She quickly caught up to them grabbing their sleeves. “Hold on!”

The twins turned to look at her, a bit surprised. “Yes?”

Holly finally got a good look at them. From their shaggy ginger locks, freckled skin, wide shoulder, long legs nose lips, and beautiful blue eyes. Then she remembered what she was here for.

“Ummmm–Well–You see–I-I just wanted to say sorry about before.” Holly tried to hide her nervousness, thinking they would yell at her. She was surprised when they broke into laughter.

“That’s okay.” they said together. Holly

“It was really our fault…”

“…we shouldn’t have tried to touch you without your permission.”

Holly gave a sigh of relief. She looked at the two boys giving them a big smile.

“You should be sorted into Gryffindor.” said one.

“Why’s that?” said Holly, guessing the answer.

“Cause you’ll have a horrible time if you aren’t.” said the other.

“And it happens to be our house of course.”

Suddenly the train jerked, sending her frontwards into something hard and warm. She rubbed her injured head as she opened her eyes to see what she hit. Holly’s eyes went pink, she had fallen on top of one the twins. He was so close to her, she was close enough to count the freckles on his face. She stared at the brilliant blue eyes, then she realized the position they were in.

“I’m so sor–The train–It wasn’t my–I didn’t– ” babbled Holly, as she shot back up.

“Calm down, it’s not your fault.” said the one she landed on, laughter in his voice. Holly suspected it was Fred, which the other was George.

“Yeah, the train does this all the time.”

“At least this time we weren’t carrying dung bombs.”

“And you got to get close to pretty girl.” The boys broke out in laughter.

Holly rolled her eyes at the two boys, smiling at their foolishness. She turned head back to her compartment, but looked back at them and thought. _‘Maybe I will give Gryffindor a thought.’_

Holly came in just as Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. Holly knew what was happening; as she sat down she moved her bangs out of her face to reveal the scar across her eye.

"So that's where You-Know-Who-’

"Yes," said Harry, "but we can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well -- we remember a lot of green light, but nothing else." Harry replied, glancing at Holly.

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at them for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found them.

"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you must know loads of magic already."

The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible -well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron. Holly looked up. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."


	8. Chapter 8

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep. Holly loved animals, she really wanted to pet the fat rat.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. Harrry and Holly looked at each other. 

Neither of them though there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, they'd never had any money in their lives until a month ago, and they told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

"… and until Hagrid told us, we didn't know anything about being a witch or a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —" Holly said, smiling as she remembered the gentle giant.

Ron gasped.

"What?" said the Potter twins said in unison.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Holly, "I just never knew you shouldn't."

"See what I mean? We've got loads to learn… I bet," Harry added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying her a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. As Ron and Harry talked Holly watched the speeding landscapes occassionally pointing out some wierd cows or sheep. Holly thoughts raced as she imagined her and Harry's first year at Hogwarts. She was excited and scared at same time. 

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry and Holly, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to their feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. The twins went out into the corridor.

They had never had any money for sweets with the Dursley's, and now they had pockets rattling with gold and silver they were ready to buy as many Mars Bars as they could carry — but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands, and a number of other strange things the Potters had never seen in their lives. Not wanting to miss anything, they got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron stared as Harry and Holly brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said the twins, Harry taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty and Holly stuffing an entire cauldron cake in her mouth.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…"

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Gwo on, half a pwasty," said Holly with her mouth full of cake, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all the Potter's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten). Holly loved the cauldron cakes best.

"What are these?" Holly asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.

"They're not really frogs, are they?" Harry asked, he was starting to feel that nothing would surprise her.

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Holly unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So _this_ is Dumbledore!" said Harry as Holly handed him the card so she could stuff her face with chocolate frog.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —"

Harry turned over the card and read:

_ ALBUS DUMBLEDORE _

_ CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS _

_ Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. _

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his and Holly's astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Wered he ga!" Holy said with half a chocolate frog in her mouth.

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron.

"He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting." Holly nodded, taking it from her new friend.

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself," said Harry, Holly had moved on to the licorice wands. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Holly stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on her card and gave her a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards and Harry was busy looking threw the other candies, but Holly couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to see Harry open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once."

"And how did he know what boogers taste like?" Holly asked. The trio froze before breaking out in laughter.

"You should ask George that." Ron grinned with the twins.

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny grey one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. Holly had stayed away from the beans not finding them very appetizing. She never really liked beans, especially ones that tasted like boogers and sprouts.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. It was astonishing.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy the twins had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Holly feeling bad for the boy.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…"

He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. Holly had pet him so much, he went to sleep.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth. Holly wondered if she should change into her robes too.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er — all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." Holly's eyes shined as she waited to see the spell work. He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

She said all this very fast. Holly smiled widely, happy that she wasn't the only one. She thought that her and Hermione would get along well.

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Holly Potter," beamed Holly.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you two, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

Holly wondered if Hermione would be willing to lend her those books. They seemed interesting.

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed as he looked at Holly who gave him a worried glance.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." Holly let out giggle.

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean; You-Know-Who was in?""

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Holly, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

The Potter twins were wondering what wizards and witches did once they'd finished school.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.

"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry and Holly stared.

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

The Potter twins turned this news over in their minds. They were starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. Holly supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just talking Harry and Holly through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, and the Potters recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.

He was looking at Holly with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry and Holly Potter are in this compartment. So it's you two, is it?"

"Yes," said Holly. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. Waiting to see if they were a threat or not.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Holly was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." Holly glared at the pale skinny boy. He had no right to insult her new friend or his family.

He turned back to Harry and Holly. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry and Holly's, but they didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Holly said coldly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasley's and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Holly, Harry, and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.

"And leave us alone!" snarled Holly, not caring how big Crabbe and Goyle were. She was ready to teach Draco a lesson.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle — Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. Holly snatching the rat out of his hands and cradling it like a baby while telling Ron not to hold him like that.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry and Holly, who examined the rat shaking her head.. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep." And so he had.

"You've met Malfoy before?"

Harry and Holly explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?""

"All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at her as she left. Holly gave Ron a look to keep it down, not wanting him to get into a fight with Hermione. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Holly took her robes out of her trunk and walked out of the compartment to change. Harry and Ron had stayed behind. They took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers. Holly had to go to the girls changing rooms, but she got lost along the way. She was now looking around for any sign for where she was.

"Hey, are you perso?" 

Holly turned around to see the tall girl with the parasol from earlier. As Holly got a better look at the girl she noticed that the girl had long brown hair with bangs and eyes hidden behind tinted glasses. She was wearing a hooded cloak and her expression was emotionless. She looked like a vampire.

"Do you need qualche aiuto? Wait I mean some help." The girl asked, she had an accent that Holly couldn't figure out. After she finally snapped out of her stare Holly came to.

"Yes, I was actually looking for the girls changing rooms."

"Ah sì, I was just on my way there. Would you like to come with?" Holly agreed and walked side by side with the girl in awkward silence. 

"Um...I'm Holly Potter. What's your name?" Holly asked hesitantly, trying to break the tension.

"Ci dispiace, My name is Madigan Baker but many call me Mad." Mad said, Holly noticed as she watched the girl talk she noticed sharp fangs and red eyes behind her glasses.

"Are you a vampire?" Holly asked without thinking. She didn't suspect she's get an answer back.

"Mostly, I'm 3/4 vampire. The rest is witch. Mia madre, my mother, is a full Italian vampire and mio padre, my father, is a half vampire half wizard from America."

"That's brilliant!" Holly said as she looked up with stars. Mad seemed to be taken back by that. She hadn't had many kids her age stick around after hearing of her lineage. They continued to ask each other questions. Their interests. Their siblings. 

Madigan was actually the middle child in her family. She had an older brother at Hogwarts that was sorted into Hufflepuff and how she and her family grew up in Italy while spending time in America. She got accepted into Hogwarts because of their father. She was very interested in music, saying how she could play the electric guitar, piano, and was working on the violin.

They made it to the changing rooms and saw there were lots of girls there, all staring at Holly and Mad. They ignored the whispering girls and separated as they each went a stall. She quickly took off her pants and shirt, pulling on her white button up shirt then pulled on a tie that at the moment didn't have any house colors and straightened. She had gone with pants that she rolled up to her knees instead of the skirt. Hagrid said that it was okay, saying how many girls wore pants over the years and how wearing a skirt was just an old rule. When she came out of the stall Mad was waiting for her. Mad had complimented her for also going for the pants choice. They continued to talking until they had reached Holly's compartment. They said goodbye to each other and hoped to see each other again.

Just as Holly sat down, a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves, Holly looked excited and nervous, and Ron looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Holly shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and the Potters heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry and Holly?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Holly thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much.

Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Holly looked with wonder in her eyes, it was all truly magical.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Holly, and Ron were followed into their boat by Hermione.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. Holly kept on glancing in every direction not wanting to miss anything.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	9. Chapter 9

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and the Potters' first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursley's' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. Holly felt like this was castle they talked about in fairytales, where things thought to be fake were real and she would be learning magic here. She just wanted to scream at the top of her lungs in excitement.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Holly could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Holly was wondering what was going to happen and she really wanted more room. She was a space person so being crammed together just made her uncomfortable, but she kept calm by staying close to Harry.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor." Holly was determined to win the house cup for whatever house she would be in. She was really competitive and was never one to back down from a challenge.

"I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry hastily tried to flatten his hair. Holly had enough and decided to end it.

'That's it!' Holly grabbed Neville fixing his cloak, tossing Ron a handkerchief for his nose, and stopping Harry from fixing his hopelessly messy hair.

"Thanks Holly," Ron said rubbing his nose with the hankie.

"Is my hair really that hopeless?" Harry asked.

"Harry, your my brother and I love you, but even I can't fix your hair."

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry swallowed. Holly was really anxious and impatient to get this so called 'sorting' done.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"You really shouldn't listen to the twins Ron; they're more than likely pulling your leg." Holly said, she didn't need to know them long to know that they were a couple of jokesters.

Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet — well he knew the words to some of them but he had never tried any. What on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.

Holly heart was beating with excitement. What test was she going to have to do? Fight a dragon? A unicorn? Holly mind ran through all the creatures she had learned about in the textbooks. She was really hoping that it didn't involve water. She didn't know how to swim. She was starting to get anxious.

She looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.

Holly looked at her brother in worry. Harry tried hard not to listen to Hermione. He'd never looked more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursley's saying that he'd somehow turned her teacher's wig blue. Holly grabbed her brother's hand in reassurance, for both of them.

"Together?" Holly asked Harry. They had lived horrible lives with the Dursleys only to rescued by the giant Hagrid, shop at Diagon Alley, find a hidden train station, and arrive at a magic school. It was too late to turn back now.

"Together."

"Besides could be worse, could be naked." Harry and Holly laughed as Holly pulled Harry into hug.

Then something happened that made Holly jump about a foot in the air — several people behind her screamed.

"What the —?"

She gasped. So did the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing.

 _'Am I supposed to fight a ghost?'_ Holly thought, a little disappointed at chose and thankful it wasn't mermaids.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely. Holly sighed, wishing that the sorting would just start already.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though her legs had turned to lead, Holly got into line behind Harry, with Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Holly had been waiting for this since they got back at the Dursley's with their supplies. Harry was convinced that if the summer took any longer Holly would explode.

As they entered Holly, she knew it would be amazing for she had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place.

Everyone sighed, it certainly was splendid, and home to those who don't feel at home with their families.

It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, the Potter twins looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard Hermione whisper to Harry, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

"I remember that passage but I'm still shocked." Holly said.

"You've read it?" Hermione asked, she sounded happy to find another bookworm.

"Yes, I particularly loved the parts about the founding of the school."

"I know, but my favorite was-"

"SHHH!" Ron rudely split Holly and Hermione's conversation up, going as far to pull her towards him and Harry. Holly went back to staring at the ceiling, obviously not going to be able to discuss her favorite parts of the textbooks with Harry and Ron.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Holly quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house, unless she had Holly wash it a thousand times, patch it up, and then add pink to it. Holly liked the hat, it had character.

 _Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it_ ; Holly thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing — noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, she stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing:'

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

Holly made it her mission to find a smarter hat, if only to see the hat eat itself.

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

Holly felt like it would exciting to be in Gryffindor. A house for the daring and brave of heart would never have a dull moment. Fred and George were in that house and Ron even hoped to be in that house.

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

Holly always thought of herself as a hard worker but she couldn't be patient if she tried. She wondered if she would be suited for Hufflepuff, she definitely thought she would make some kind and loyal friends.

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

Ravenclaw seemed like a nice house to Holly. She was always wanting to try new things and if that house was dedicated to learning than that would be the best way to. She'd be able to learn to the fullest extent and maybe Hermione would be sorted with her. She seemed like the perfect Ravenclaw.

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

There it was the supposed 'evil' house. The one made up of evil witches and wizards, You-Know-Who's house. Holly wasn't sure or unsure if she wanted to be in that house. Hagrid said that it was for bad people, but Holly wasn't sure about that. She never really judged people that she didn't know.

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred; he was going on about wrestling a troll." Holly giggled at the thought of fighting a troll.

"Better than mermaids."

Harry, on the other hand, smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but she did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment like Holly was. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him. Holly couldn't wait to see what house she would be in. She hoped it would be the same as Harry.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment’s pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Holly saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at Hannah.

"Baker, Madigan!"

Holly waved to Mad, she had helped Holly find the changing rooms on the train and she had become fast friends with the tall 3/4 vampire girl. As soon the hat was placed —

"SLYTHERIN!"

Holly clapped for her new friend as she made it her house's table, receiving strange looks from Ron and Harry. She would have to hang out with Mad.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Holly could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling. She frowned at their stupid antics.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. Holly and him had always been last to be chosen, not because they were no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked the twins. Holly didn't really mind it as long they weren't split up, though the ball always seem to 'accidently' hit Holly.

Holly on the other hand was thinking that Slytherins got the short straw. Mad had got put in Slytherin and she had been nice to Holly. Maybe Slytherins were just misunderstood; they would never stick a quarter of Hogwarts students into the 'bad guy house'. They would never train Slytherins in dangerous magic if they were evil.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Holly noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned. Holly punched him in the arm.

"Be nice, she hasn't done anything wrong."

A horrible thought struck Holly, as horrible thoughts always do when you're waiting for something important. What if she wasn't chosen at all? What if she just sat there with the hat over her eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off her head and said there had obviously been a mistake and she'd better get back on the train? What would happen to Harry?

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.

When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"… , "Parkinson"… , then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"… , then "Perks, Sally-Anne"… , and then, at last —

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Holly saw before the hat dropped over Harry's eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next thing she knew she was looking at a bunch of the other students' backs that were reaching to get a better look at her brother. She was on pins and needle as she waited to hear her brother's house!

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Holly heard the hat shout to the whole hall. She saw him take off the hat and walk shakily toward the Gryffindor table. She suspected Harry was getting the loudest cheer yet and could hear the Weasley twins yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

"Potter, Holly!"

Again there were whispers and some people standing up to look at the second person to survive He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Holly skipped forward causing the whispers to grow; she felt adrenaline pulse threw her veins. It was finally her turn!

As she skipped up the steps to the stool, her grin not able to get any wider, McGonagall gave her a smile. Holly sat down as her eyes roamed the house possibilities, giving waves to students and one to Harry. She took a deep breath before the Sorting hat was place on her head and saw darkness.

"Ah, the eldest Potter twin, 'The Girl Who Lived,'" Holly heard the hat speak in her mind. "Just like your brother, your past is not too pleasant. You have a heart that puts others, over yourself. Advice that is not always good...You also don't judge by appearances or status but by actions. Kind, open-minded, and loyal to others....like a Hufflepuff...No,much too violent... I see a need for adventure and knowledge with wit and curiosity...something appreciated in Ravenclaw...You would do good in Slytherin, you even made a friend, but not very ambitious or cunning....You're valiant and courageous...You will make many allies, all from different houses...Yes, you are definitely a......."


	10. Chapter 10

".......GRYFFINDOR!"

Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat off Holly and she quickly dashed over to her new house's table, tackling her brother in a bone-crushing hug.

"I got in! I got in! I got in!" Holly chanted as she hopped up and down clutching her brother.

Soon a lot of the table was cheering the loudest yet and a lot stood up again to shake her hand. Holly was so happy t be with Harry that energetically shook her housemates hands and even gave them some hugs. The Weasley twins kept singing, "We got both Potters! We got both Potters!" Holly sat down next to Harry and let out a giggle.

Now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a black boy even taller that Ron, joined Harry and Holly at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now and he looked frozen in place.

"You can do it, Ron!" Holly yelled from her seat, surprising her housemates and the rest of the hall. She always did have a loud voice. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Both the Potters cheered loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to them.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy.

"I knew you'd get in! I just knew it!" Holly said as she shook Ron by his shoulders. Soon the last kid was sorted and Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Holly looked down at the gold plate in front of her, her mouth watering with hunger, after all the excitement she was starving. All the sweets she ate on the train seemed like days ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he -- a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"

“Besides aren’t some of the best persone mad.” Holly turned around at the familiar voice.

“Mad!” Holly hugged her friend. “Congrats on getting Slytherin!”

“I could say the same for you piccolo leone. I’m sure Gryffindor would be a magnifico fit for you.” said Mad.

Harry and Ron’s mouth fell open. Mad spotted the two boys.

“Ah, you must be Holly’s fratello and that must make you Ron.” Mad gave the boys a big fangy grin as she shook the boys’ hands. “Holly told me about you two on the treno.”

“Do you want to sit with us, Mad?” asked Holly, not noticing the gesture Harry and Ron were making.

“I’d love to, but I should really sit with mia house’s tabella. I can’t look bad on my very first day.”

Holly pouted, but understood. “Okay, but we have got to hang out sometime.” She said goodbye to her friend. As she sat back down Harry and Ron looked at her like she grew a second head.

“What was that?!” yelled Ron.

“What?” asked Holly.

“That was a Slytherin?!” bellowed Harry.

“Yes and?”

“They’re evil, Holly! Remember what Hagrid said!”

“Harry, Ron, did she seem evil to you? If I recall she smiled and shook your hands.” said Holly.

Ron went red. “She had fangs!”

“And you have red hair, Ron. That doesn’t make her evil. Besides she has fangs because she’s part vampire.”

“Vampire?!” Harry and Ron went white.

“C’mon guys, she’s nice and nothing you can say can make think otherwise.”

“But-” Ron tried to say.

“No, now eat your food.” said Holly turning to the table. Harry turned, knowing that nothing he’ll will get Holly to change her mind.

The dishes in front of them were now piled with food. Harry had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. Holly couldn’t believe the sight in front of her either.

The Dursleys had never exactly starved the Potters, but they had never been allowed to eat as much as they liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry or Holly really wanted, even if it made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. Holly on the other hand took some steak, fries, roast potatoes, pork chops, lamb chops, and carrots. It was all delicious.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Holly cut up her steak,

"Can't you --?" Harry asked.

“I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you -- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy --" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted. "Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, until Holly stood up.

“That is brilliant! How does that even work? Can you feel it? If I put my hand-” asked Holly, curiosity shining in her eyes.

Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So -- new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable -- he's the Slytherin ghost."

Holly looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Holly was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements. She smirked slightly and turned back around.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

“I’ll go ask.” said Holly, but was pulled back by Harry and Ron.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding -- "

As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart and Holly piled her plate with sweets, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "My dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me -- he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned -- but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced -- all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here -- they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad."

On the Potters other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing -- "). Holly couldn’t wait for the classes to start too. She looked up to the high table and tried to figure out what each professor taught. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Holly’s eyes -- and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Holly’s eye.

"Ouch!" Holly clapped a hand over her eye, she felt like her eye was boiling in her socket. Suddenly Holly mind flashed with that blinding green light, and then she felt the strangest urge to cry.

"What is it?" asked Percy. Harry looked over too.

"N-nothing. I just got something in my eye."

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Holly had gotten from the teacher's look -- a feeling that he was surprised to see her.

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" she asked Percy.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to -- everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at them again.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahern -- just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere -- the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Holly noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. She wondered if Dumbledore was the only one who really liked music, out of all the teachers.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed:

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling With some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, Just do your best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Holly's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food (she probably shouldn’t have seconds). She was close to making Harry carry her up. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. Holly yawned slightly as she climbed up the stairs, her cheeks red. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Holly was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves -- show yourself"

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it -- Neville needed a leg up -- and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase -- they were obviously in one of the towers -- they found their beds at last: four four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Holly found out that her roommates included Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Holly took the bed on the end, near the window.

Holly smiled and introduced herself but, obviously, the girls knew her already and introduced themselves back. As others got ready for bed, Holly placed away all her things and by the time she was done, all three of her dorm mates were asleep. She changed into her own pajamas and slipped into her bed, pulling the comforter up and turning to her left side and fell asleep.

Perhaps Holly had eaten a bit too much, because she had a very strange dream. She was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her destiny. She tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully. The turban’s words just kept getting louder and louder, making her ears ring. The scar on her felt like it was ripping her skull open and her hands they were covered in blood from scratching at her scar-- there was a burst of green light and Holly woke, sweating and shaking.

She stared at the wall in front of her before rolling out bed and stumbled to the window, dragging her sheets with her. She felt like she was suffocating and her head was on fire. She pressed her forehead to the window panting as she felt the cool surface. She slowly slid down the wall, falling asleep again, and when she woke up the next day, she didn’t remember the dream at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	11. Chapter 11

"There, look."

"Where?" 

"Next to the tall boy with the red hair." 

"The redheaded girl and the boy wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see their faces?"

"Did you see her scar?"

Whispers followed Harry and Holly from the moment they left their dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at them, or doubled back to pass them in the corridors again, staring. Holly didn't really mind it, but she was trying to figure out the layout of the castle and find her classes.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk. Holly had gotten into an argument with one door that would open and close every time she tried to enter. It took Ron, Harry, Fred, and George to drag her away before she tried to take an ax from one of the suits of armor.

The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

"Why you lit-" Holly screeched as Ron and Harry dragged her off.

Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Harry, Holly, and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing. 

Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick. Holly even tried to pet her, but was hissed and scratched no matter how many times she tried. 

And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as the twins quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. 

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Holly thought it was really interesting and had talked about it with Hermione. 

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and did the same with Holly's then toppled out of sight. 

Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class. Holly however couldn't help but feel respect for the older woman.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. 

After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione, Madigan, and Holly had made any difference to their matches; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile. The girls high-fived each other after class, grinning. 

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. Holly and Hermione made plans to discuss the DADA books in their dorm room later. 

Harry was very relieved to find out that she wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like them, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.

Friday was an important day for Harry, Holly, and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once. 

"Hooray!" Holly shouted.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge. Holly listened in as she stuffed her face and defended her plate from the Weasley twins.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry.

"Sha duz thoy." Holly said with her full of bacon and potatoes.

Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.

Just then, the mail arrived. Harry and Holly had gotten used to this by now, but it had given them a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Neither Hedwig nor Heidi hadn't brought Harry or Holly anything so far. Heidi sometimes flew in to nuzzle Holly's head and have bits of food before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, Hedwig fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate. Holly leaned near her brother to read the letter. 

Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:

_ Dear Harry and Holly, _

_ I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? _

_ I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. _

_ Hagrid _

Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled _Yes please, see you later_ on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.

It was lucky that they had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to Harry so far. 

At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked them. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike them — he hated them. Sadly, Holly hadn't caught on and developed an admiration for the potions teacher.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. At Holly's name, Snape noticeably gripped the parchment harshly when Holly raised her hand and smiled at him. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels. Holly couldn't help wanting to give him a hug.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stop death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. Holly's eyes had shown with enthusiasm and passion wanting to learn how to bottle fame and brew glory.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Holly was about to answer, but stopped when she saw his gaze was directed at Harry.

_ Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? _ Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was and Holly was horribly failing at mouthing the answer to her brother; Hermione's hand had shot into the air. 

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione and Holly's hands.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry had no idea. Holly knew the answer, the lining of a goat's stomach, but her raised hand went unnoticed. She tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursley's', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_? He wished for a moment that he could exchange places with either Hermione or Holly.

Snape was still ignoring Holly and Hermione's quivering hands.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. Holly gave Harry him her think-of-something look. 

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione and Holly do, though, why don't you try them?"

A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. He looked over at Holly who had her hand up. "Answer me, Potter."

Holly paused for a second to look at Snape and broke into a wide grin. "Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite."

Malfoy and friends were shocked and Madigan was giving her thumbs up. Snape's eyebrows rose in mock admiration, he looked at the other students. "Sit down, Ms.Potter. 5 points for Gryffindor." Every student in the classroom was internally or externally shocked. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" He said. 

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. 

He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Holly and Madigan were paired together, and had managed to make the potion to the exact. When Snape swept by he stared critically at the potion.

"........Well done." Snape said quickly and walked to look at the others' potions.

"Thank you, Signore Snape." Madigan bowed. They had high fived behind their backs.

"Easy as pie." Holly stated as she focused on stirring the potion. "So how's the whole Slytherin sorting going?"

"Not too bad. Our common room is davvero bella, really beautiful. My roommate is anche a half-breed. Yours?"

"Same here about the common room. Do you have only one roommate?"

"Sì, isn't it the same for you?"

"No way! I have to share with 3 other girls. One of them being Hermione." Holly said as she motioned to the brunette across the room. 

"Sounds difficile, buona fortuna amico mio."

"What?"

"Best of luck, my friend." 

"Ah. Hey can you take over stirring for a bit. My arms are getting tired."

The girls continued to talk to each other, mostly Holly asking Mad about her vampire powers. Until Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

This was so unfair that Harry opened her mouth to argue, but Ron kicked her behind their cauldron.

"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. No matter how much Holly tried to console him, he would shake it off. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in her very first week —why did Snape hate him so much? Holly had gotten 5 points for Gryffindor and complimented by him.

"Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door. When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang —back."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. 

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling; a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. Falling into her lap after Holly scratched him behind the ears.

"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Holly was still determinedly nawing on the cake, trying to eat it with gusto.

Fang was resting his head on Holly's lap and drooled all over her robes, but she either didn't notice or care as she looked for Fong's sweet spot.

Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. He was really surprised about hearing how Holly scored some points though.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

"He's right, Harry. Maybe Snape was just trying to test your knowledge because he thinks you can be a great potions master."'

Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that and that Holly's excuse was farther off then the North Pole.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals." 

Holly wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

_ GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST _

_ Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. _

_ "But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon. _

Harry remembered Ron telling them on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on our birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

"What?!" Holly asked as she pushed Fang off her soaked robes and grabbed the cutting from her brother's hand. "Is this true?" The twins stared at Hagrid. 

There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet their eyes this time. He grunted and offered them another rock cake. Holly read the story again. _The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day_. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?

As Harry, Holly, and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Holly was busy trying to dry out her drooled on robes and thinking about the Gringrotts break-in. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry? A voice in the back of Holly's mind warned her that this was just the beginning of something, whether it was good or bad she had no clue. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	12. Chapter 12

"Grazie, Holly for helping me." Mad said in her usual calm tone as Holly and her carried large stacks of books from the library up to Mad's dorm. Mad was carrying much larger stack compared to Holly, but hadn't said anything.

"No problem. I just hope you can read all these before their due." Holly said as her head rested on the tower of books she was carrying. The two walked in awkward silence before Holly finally spoke. "So…um…do you mind if I ask you some questions about-"

"-the whole vampire thing?" Mad looked at her with her usual calm smile and a raised brow.

"Sorry, if it bothers-" Holly defended, not wanting to be mean or anything.

"Va tutto bene. It is no bother at all. Ask away."

"Okay, thanks. So is the whole garlic thing real?"

"It's just the smell, niente a simple nose plug can't fix or being around it long enough. Our family's capocuoca makes some delizioso Spaghetti Alle Vongole. You should try it sometime."

"Do you wear the cloaks and sunglasses because of sunlight?"

"Partially, we have skin simile to albinos. We lack a pigmento in the skin that makes us vulnerabili to sunlight. I'm not a full vampire, but my fratelli and I still burn facilmente. Nothing some SPF and the right clothing can't fix. Besides I happen to piacere black."

They chuckled at the end comment.

"Stake to the heart?"

"Wouldn't that kill anyone? If si really want to uccidere me with a steak, I'd perferire a fatty porterhouse."

"Holy water?"

"Nope."

"Crosses?"

"No."

“No reflection?”

“True, but you can still see our clothes. Makes it difficile to know when you’re having a bad hair day.”

"Transforming into a bat?"

"That's actually true." Holly halted and looked slowly at Mad in shock.

"Really! You've got to show me sometime!!! Okay, okay, what about the whole drinking blood thing?"

"Vero, but we have to be molto attenti about it. With all the malattie out there, one wrong sorso and BAM!!! You're infettati with Cholera."

"So how do you.....get blood?"

"We use bloods banks or take blood from our servi. You see, high classifica vampires will sometimes lend assistenza in building a person's carriera. In cambio when that person's retires they serve the vampire's famiglia. Acting as a blood donator can be parte of their job, but that dipende on the vampire. They also get davvero good benefits. We also use blood dishes and treats, like blood lollipops but those never fill you up."

"Makes sense to me."

"What about hypnosis with the eyes?"

"Also true, but young vampires, like me, have to trained to utilizzarlo and we get in a lot of trouble if we use it irresponsabilita. I did once and mia madre grounded me for a week."

"Darn, I thought we could hypnotize Draco into thinking he's a chicken." Holly pouted as they reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Shouldn't we hypnotize him into something he isn't?" The girls giggled. Mad said the password to the stone wall.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to go in?" Holly asked. It wasn't that she was scared, but she was hesitant knowing that a Gryffindor couldn't just walk right into the Slytherin common room without being noticed.

"Naturalmente, there shouldn't be a problem. Besides if the other Slytherins don't agree than chi se ne frega. There is no giudicare against it." Madigan consoled, taking off her tinted glasses so she could see better and revealing her glowing red orbs. _'Besides none of them would dare to interfere with my affairs.'_

"Your right who cares what they think." Holly said as they entered the common room. As soon as Holly stepped in everything went quiet and all eyes were one them. The other students either shown expressions of disdain, curiosity, or nothing. Holly focused on the back of Mad's head as they walked to the stairs that lead to the dorms; she was feeling anxious from the room that seemed to be underwater. Holly did not like being underwater, she couldn't swim at all. Holly also didn't notice the Slytherins that were looking at her moments ago avert their heads as Mad gave them warning glance. 

When they finally reached the door to Mad's room they stopped. Mad turned around to look at Holly, bending her knees to make eye contact with the redhead.

"Now my roommate is probabilmente in there so I'm going warn you now. Don't stand too close. Don't feed her. Don't mention any movies. And do NOT call her Coco. Got it."

"Um, Okay?"

"Good." Mad opened the door and...

_BOOM_

The whole room was engulfed in a purple smelly smoke.

"-cough- Shan -cough- non what did you -hack- do?!"

"Wonkwonkwonkwonk."

"Mad, -cough- what's -cough- going on?!" Holly said as the smoke cleared out of the room to reveal a creature with a gas mask. "What the bloody hell is that?!"

"That's my roommate." Mad dumped the books on the bed Holly assumed was hers.

"Hello, my beautiful vampire." The figure said in a sickly sweet tone, as it went up to Madigan and examined her. Looking at her arms, legs, and the top of her head. It had an obvious American accent. "Let me say your maxilla looks marvelous."

"Holly, this is my roommate, Shannon."

It was easy to tell which side of the room was whose. Mad's was decorated with Victorian decor and art supply. Her side was clean and taken care while other than the same type of poster bed the other side was a mess. There was a square cage that looked to be empty next to a shiny black electric guitar and violin case.

The other side seemed to have sections designated for certain hobbies and was an organized mess. One section had stuff you would expect to see in a mad scientist’s lad, colorful bubbling beakers, scattered scribbled on paper, sharp implements that looked to be for dissecting, and jars full of animals and body parts Holly didn't want to name. Another part was dedicated to fashion, it was filled with clothes, fabrics, and even a cloth mannequin that wore a coat that hadn’t been finished. One side had a drum set, while the rest of the side housed the bed and other trinkets.

She quickly turned back to her desk and started writing on the paper.  "Dang, there was no effect. I was hoping it would work this time. Back to the drawing board."

"What was it supposed to do exactly?" Holly asked, stepping closer to Mad but not gaining a look from the other redhead.

"Oh, nothing big, just supposed to turn your hands into turkey sandwiches or lobster claws. I can’t remember.”

"Why?" Holly asked, not understanding why anyone would want or need to make that.

"Because- YOU!!!" Holly heard the gas mask thing sigh through its mask. It revealed a tanned girl with long auburn locks that went to her hips in a ponytail. She put on some red cat's eye glasses and ran her hand through her hair in defeat. The redhead quickly enveloped Holly in a bone crushing hug. "My Prince! My Prince! My Prince!"

"Do you know my roommate, Holly?" asked Holly, surprised.

"Well, sort of..."

_Flashback_

_Holly was on her way to the Great Hall for dinner after having to go back to the classroom to get a book she left behind. She just about there when she heard the sound of trouble._

_"Give me back, my glasses!" a young feminine voice cried._

_"No way, you dirty half-breed!" a female voice teased._

_"Not until you tell me what you did to my boyfriend?" another voice said._

_"I don't know your boyfriend!?"_

_Holly quickly ran toward the voices. She saw a group of three obviously older girls standing over a younger one. The younger one was feeling the ground for her glasses. It was a futile effort because one of the older girls holding them. Holly was not going to stand by and let this happen._

_"Hey, leave her alone!" Holly screamed throwing herself in front of the girl on the ground._

_“Stay out-“_

_“Wait, that’s Holly Potter!?”_

_“The Girl Who Lived?!”_

_“WHAT!? Let’s get out of here!”_

_The trio quickly ran away from the others. Holly watched till they were out of sight, then picked up the glasses that one of the girls dropped. She checked to see if they were broken, before helping the girl up and hand her glasses back._

_“Here you go.”_

_“Thank you…” The girl put her glasses back on. She kept staring at Holly with a strange smile on her face. They stood awkwardly for what felt like ages, before Holly couldn’t take it anymore._

_“…Well, goodbye.” Holly said quickly, before running towards the Great Hall._

_End of Flashback_

“…And that’s how I met my Prince Charming. It was love at first sight.” Shannon said lovingly as she still embraces Holly.

“You do know I’m a girl, right?” Holly asked, not knowing what to do in this situation.

“She does, Holly. Shannon here prefers pretty kitties over handsome tomcats.” Mad said trying to make the Gryffindor understand.

“She has a cat?”

“She plays for the other team.”

“What team?”

“She likes melons more than kiwis.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I’m gay.” Shannon said happily as she finally let go of Holly. Now Holly finally got it. Then her face and hair turned pink with embarrassment and shock. She knew she wasn’t exactly straight, having had found girls attractive before along with boys. With Harry’s help she determined that she didn’t really care about gender.

“You’re a metamorphagus, too! Jackpot!” Shannon squealed. “You would make such an interesting dissection subject~”

“Calm down, Shannon, you’re making her nervous.” Mad said as she stepped in between the redheads.

“Oh, sorry, I got a little carried away there. Let me introduce myself. Shannon Salali Leyba. I’m half-veela and my hobbies include creating potions, cheerleading, drumming, and designing outfits. Please treat me nice.”

“……I’m Holly Potter. Let’s be friends.” That was all Holly could think of to say.

“YAY!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	13. Chapter 13

Holly had never believed she would meet a boy she hated more than Dudley, but that was before she met Draco Malfoy.

Still, first-year Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to put up with Malfoy much. On the other hand, Madigan and Holly had become potions partners and were quick to become the star students of the class. Madigan had also become fast friends with Hermione as well and started eating at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron were still wary of Mad but had calmed down after she showed how she could suck the jelly out of donut with her fangs. They were starting to get adjusted to the tall vampire witch.

“Sugar and sunbeams, Horton, Raymond, Hadassah, Maaike, and My Prince.” Shannon said as she sat down next to Mad, still unable to remember their names (or just not wanting to).

“That would be ‘Good morning Harry, Ron, Hermione, Mad, and Holly’.” Mad translated for the others to understand.

Along with Mad, Shannon was also stuck to Holly like glue since they became friends. Apparently Shannon wore a suppressor bracelet that would keep her veela powers from affecting the boys, finding than bothersome and gross. She also brought another Slytherin with her. His name was Christian, he was sandy blonde boy with an expressionless face and voice. He also had an affinity for puns. He was also something called a Lyca; Shannon and Mad helped explain what that meant to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Holly.

_FLASHBACK_

_“Time for a Shannon and Mad lesson!” Shannon said as she put a lab coat as a way to make the lesson more ‘realistic’._

_“Did we change the nome? I liked the previous one. The one that just used our iniziali.” Mad asked._

_“Focus groups didn’t approve…Anyway today’s lesson is on lycas.”_

_“Do we have to listen to this?” Ron said not wanting to learn outside of classes._

_“SHHH! I’m trying to take notes.” Hermione whispered._

_“Why are you even he-OW!” Ron started but got punched in the arm by Holly._

_“Be quiet.” Harry and Holly said tired of their fighting as they focused on getting more information about the Wizarding World._

_“So Lycas are a race of semi-human, semi-magical humanoids that are descendants of werewolves. They are a domesticated race that is able to transform into giant dogs.” Shannon stated._

_“However, unlike werewolves who change on night of the full moon, Lycas are able to change anytime they want, similar to vampires and their bat forms. Also, since they are part dog they have heightened senses like smell and hearing. That is one of the reasons they make great companions.” Mad and Christian demonstrated by transforming. Mad in to a small bat and Christian into a giant blonde dog. The others watching stared in awe as transformed back; Shannon began the lesson again._

_“Just like regular dogs, Lycas are fiercely loyal and protective of their master. So wizards and witches really like them. This dummy is my Lyca and his parents are my mom and dad’s. His family has been serving mine for generations. So Christian and I have been raised together since we were babies. Lycas also come in different breeds. For example, dummy…”_

_“I’m a Bernese Mountain Dog/Newfoundland mix Lyca.” Christian said with an expressionless face._

_END OF FLASHBACK_

It wasn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday — and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

Holly had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

"Yeah, maybe he'll be the one to make a fool out of himself." Holly added trying to cheer up her pessimistic sibling.

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly, even Mad and Shannon had dads and brothers that were fans.

Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared the dormitory with Ron, about football. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Neville told Harry he had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham football team, trying to make the players move.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Holly felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book — not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called _Quidditch Through the Ages_.

Even the usual calm Madigan had come to say that she had no need for flying lessons, because she could just transform to bat and was trained to fly at a young age, while Shannon and Christian wouldn’t stop making bad jokes.

“These lesson could really get us ‘soaring’.”                              

“Time will really ‘fly’ in that class.”

Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Neither of the twins had gotten a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table. Mad offered to share some of her blood lollipops but was instantly turned down by the twins.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh…" His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "… you've forgotten something…"

"How is that useful?" Holly asked.

"It isn't." Mad answered.

Shannon and Mad were trying to help Neville remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Holly, Mad, Harry, Ron, Christian, Shannon and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. Holly smiled, it was a beautiful day.

"Nice weather today." Holly said looking at the bright blue sky. "Are you okay, Mad?"

Mad was covered head to toe in black and wearing her usual thick sunglasses. "Don't worry the panno is molto traspirante. Keeps me cool when it's caldo and warm when it's freddo."

“It better be I designed it, darling.” Shannon puffed out her chest in pride.

The remaining Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry and Holly had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. Holly thought the color was cool and flashed her eyes to yellow for second before anyone could notice. 

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Holly glanced down at her broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Holly's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did.

"You're a natural!" Mad shouted.

“That’s my Prince!”

Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Holly; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground. Harry got his up the second time, getting a thumbs up from his sister.

"Up!" said Ron again only to have it whack him in the face,

Mad and Holly couldn't help but laugh.  

"Shut up." he said as the girls giggled behind her hand.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years. Holly smirked at him, causing Malfoy to scowl at her.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle — three — two —"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle — twelve feet — twenty feet. Holly saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and —WHAM — a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. Holly ran to his side to see if he alright.

"Are you okay, Neville?!" Holly yelled as she checked to see if Neville was still breathing. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Holly heard her mutter. "Come on, boy — it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class as Holly helped Neville to his feet.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"She was just looking out for him, that doesn't mean that she likes him!?" Holly said.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.

"Or else?!" Holly snapped. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find — how about — up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Holly yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well.

"Draco you vigliacco?!" Mad yelled up at him.

Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Holly grabbed her broom.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

"Lighten up Hermione." Mad said.

“Knock him off his broom, My Prince!” Shannon cheered.

Holly ignored Hermione. Blood was pounding in her ears, if it was one thing Harry learned is never make his sister angry or she will come after you. She mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up she soared; air rushed through her hair, and her robes whipped out behind her — and in a rush of fierce joy she realized she'd found something she could do without being taught — this was easy, this was wonderful. She pulled her broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron and Mad. Harry mounted his own broom and came up with her.

She turned her broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.

"Give it here," Holly called as her eyes and hair lit up in anger, "or I'll knock you off that broom and then knock your block off!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Holly knew, somehow, what to do. She leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called, chasing after him. The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

"Holly, catch it?!" Harry shouted to his sister as he went after Malfoy.

Holly saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. She leaned forward and pointed her broom handle down — next second she was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball — wind whistled in her ears, mingled with the screams of people watching — she stretched out her hand — a foot from the ground she caught it, just in time to pull her broom straight, and she toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in her fist. Harry landed and ran up to his sister.

"HARRY AND HOLLY POTTER!"

"It's McGonagall," Mad groaned.

Holly's heart sank faster than she'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. She got to her feet, trying to seem like nothing happened. Harry looked like a deer in the headlights.

"Never — in all my time at Hogwarts —" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "— how dare you — might have broken your neck —"

"It wasn't her fault, Professor —"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil —"

"But Malfoy —"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potters, follow me, now."

Holly caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as she left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she and her brother strode toward the castle. They were going to be expelled, she just knew it.

She wanted to say something to defend herself, but there seemed to be something wrong with her voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at them; they had to jog to keep up. Now they'd done it. They hadn't even lasted two weeks. They'd be packing her bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursley's say when she turned up on the doorstep? Holly was mentally cursing Malfoy for getting them in this mess.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to them. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry and Holly trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking them to Dumbledore. Harry thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps Holly and him could be Hagrid's assistants. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

 _Wood?_ thought Holly, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on them? Holly knew what Harry was thinking and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you three," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at the twins.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the three students.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood — I've found you a Seeker and a Chaser."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Ms Potter?"

"Yes, Ma'am." She didn't have a clue what was going on, but they didn't seem to be being expelled, and began to calm down.

"She caught that thing in her hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch herself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Also, I wanted you to try Mr.Potter here too, he was excellent at chasing, not ever been on a broomstick himself before,"

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch?" he asked the twins excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"She's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Holly and staring at her. "Light — speedy — we'll have to get her a decent broom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say." He looked at Harry next, "He's fit for a Chaser, light and small, no offense, you could dodge the opposing team easily." Wood grinned as did Holly.

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry and Holly.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potters, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Holly nodded energetically with fire in her eyes. Then she suddenly smiled.

“You can count of us, Professor! We’ll work hard to win!”

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

"You're joking."

It was dinnertime. Harry and Holly had just finished telling Ron, Mad, Christian, and Shannon what had happened when she'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it. Mad had stopped eating her raw steak and Shannon had practically sprayed her pumpkin juice over Christian in shock and awe.

"Seeker and Chaser?" he said. "But first years never — you two must be the youngest house players in about —"

" — a century!" said Holly, happily shoveling pie into her mouth. She felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told us."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed; he just sat and gaped at the twins. Mad, Shannon, and Christian were congratulating the twins.

“So amazing, like ketchup on a sweatshirt made of sand!”

“You guys were really good in class.”

"Congratulazioni, you guys! Malfoy is going to flip!"

"I hadn't even thought of that!" Holly said, smiling as Mad, Shannon and her impersonated Malfoy's face after hearing the news, making the other laugh. 

"We start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret." Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Holly and Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George as he and Fred gave Holly a hug, who was trying to push them off. They had been trying to tick off Holly a lot recently.

"Get off me!" Holly hissed only to be ignored.

"Wood told us. We're on the team too -- Beaters."

"I'll beat you both if you don't let me go!"

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Holly, Wood was almost skipping when he told us." Harry laughed at Holly’s deadpan expression as she pinched Fred and George's hands to finally get them to release her.

"We give! We give! We give!" Fred and George said as they pleaded for her to let go of their aching hands.

"Anyway, we've got to go; Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	14. Chapter 14

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potters? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"Not this prick," Shannon snarled.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly.

"Need something to hide behind since you can't actually fight." Holly added snarkily as she got up in Malfoy's face, earning a snicker from Mad. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl. That to say the twins didn’t have back up. Their back up came in the form of a tall ¾ vampire, a blond lyca, and ½ veela mad scientist.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy, as he glared back at Holly. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course she has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm her second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked. I'll TRY to go easy on you, girly." The last comment caused something Holly to snap.

"Bring it on, like fairy song!" Holly hissed in a monstrous voice as she grabbed Draco up by the collar. When she finally let him go, he played it off by pretending to dust off his robes.

"G-good luck Potter, you’re going to need it."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron, Holly, and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Holly, knowing nothing about what she just agreed too.

"You don't know?!" Harry asked, panicked.

"Holly, we hardly knew ye." Mad said, clapping her hands together.

“Goodbye, Sweet Prince. If you die, can I dissect you if your body’s intact?”

"I'm not dead and no dissection!? And what do you mean, you're my second!?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards."

"So we're not real witches and wizards?" Holly asked feeling hurt.

"All we know is lie!" Shannon commented in her usual overly dramatic voice.

"The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if she waves her wand and nothing happens?" Harry asked still panicking about this duel.

"She can throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Holly said as she continued to eat.

"I'd go for the crotch instead of the naso if were you. That's lot più difficile to prove." Mad added.

“Plus, it’s a funnier reaction.” Shannon added and tried to demonstrate of Christian, but was being fought off.

"Excuse me."

They looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron. Holly punched him in the arm and gave him her be-nice-to-her face. Hermione ignored him and spoke to Holly.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered. This time he got slapped in the head by Mad.

"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"Rilassarsi, Hermione. Inoltre Malfoy needs to be put in his posto after what he did to Neville."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Holly thought, as she lay awake much later listening to Hermione, Lavender and Parvati sleeping. Ron had spent all evening giving her advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." She was concentrating on that now. Harry had lectured her on not promising to do things that she knew nothing about. Mad kept going about weak points that could work on Malfoy. Shannon kept trying slip her some weird colored potions that would ‘take care’ of Malfoy.

_“This one will make him sprout mushrooms all over his body. This will stun him and this one will make him break out into song and dance. This one…Now this is either the exploding one or the one that turns you purple…Hmmm or was it that one?”_

There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Holly knew she was pushing her luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoy's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness — this was her big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. She couldn't miss it.

At half-past eleven she snuck out ready to meet Ron and Harry. She pulled on her bathrobes, picked up her wand, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows.

"Alright?" said Ron when he saw her.

She nodded "Let's do this."

They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from behind them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Holly."

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown. Holly must've not noticed as her as she snuck down.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy — he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering. Holly on the other hand kinda felt bad for going against Hermione. She really was a sweet girl, out of all her roommates Hermione was the least annoying. Plus, she and Holly would often help each other with their homework.

"Look Hermi-"

"Come on, Holly." Ron said her as Harry and him pushed open the portrait and climbed out.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and she found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go; we're going to be la-OW!"

"Enough already, Ron." Holly punched his arm, before turning to the only other female. "Hermione, you come with us for now. You can go to duel with us, by the time it's done the Fat Lady will probably be back and we can go back in without anyone knowing we snuck out."

"No, I'm staying right here."

"Fine, stay here and wait for a teacher or Filch to find you out of bed late at night." Holly stated as she walked away with Harry and Ron.

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"Thought so."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all four of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve —" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Holly sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville.

"What the-"

"SHHH!"

He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Neville, what the bloody hell are you doing sleeping on the floor?" Holly asked as she helped him off the floor.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours; I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" said Holly.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

 _'Then where did he go after?'_ Holly thought.

"Good — well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later —"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Holly sighed, then smiled wanting to protect the boy like a puppy. "Fine, Neville. You can tag along with us just be quiet."

Holly was surprised when Neville wrapped his arms around her and silently sobbed into her shoulder out of gratitude. "There, there."

Holly patted the boy on the head, as if he were a scared puppy, which in her mind he kinda was. Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry and Holly hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Holly expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet.

The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Holly took out her wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once.

The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

"If he is, I'm gonna-" Holly started but was cut off by a sudden noise in the next room that made them jump. Holly had only just raised her wand when they heard someone speak — and it wasn't Malfoy. Harry pulled out his wand watching where his sister couldn't.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Holly waved madly at the other four to follow her as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

 _"Malfoy snitched on us!"_ Holly shouted internally.

"This way!" Holly mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, grabbed Holly around the waist in fright, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Holly yelled, and the five of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following — they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Holly in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going — they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping her forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering.

"I —told — you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I — told — you."

"Now...isn't...the...time." Holly said between pants.

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Holly. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you — Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

"You're right, Hermione. I swear, when I see him I'm gonna wring his-"

Hermione glared at her and Holly grinned at her.

"Let's go."

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves.

He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves — please — you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

Holly was about to yell at him, but Harry covered her mouth before she could be the one to give away their position.

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a big mistake.

"Ron wa-"

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door — and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

"This is all Malfoy's fault! Neville stop crying and let me go!"

"But I'm scared!"

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves' shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled.

She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right —please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!"

And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Holly whispered. "I think we'll be okay — get off, Neville!"

For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Holly's bathrobe for the last minute. "Neville, you better not be cr-"

Holly turned around — and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, she was sure she'd walked into a one of her crazy dreams — this was one of the strangest things she had seen since arriving at Hogwarts.

They weren't in a room, as she had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Harry groped for the doorknob — between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They fell backward — Holly slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared — all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that — pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

"Seriously, Ron?" Holly finding that explanation the hardest to believe.

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet; I was too busy with its heads."

"Yeah, Hermione."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled."

"Death is worse than expulsion, Mione." Holly begged.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?”

"I'm not up for sharing the room with her right now. Mind if I sleep with you tonight, Harry?"

"Okay." Harry said through a yawn as Ron, Harry, and her stumbled groggily up the stairs. Holly followed her twin and friend up the stairs to their dorm. Then Holly rushed back down to drag up the stunned Neville. She and her brother fell into bed too tired to move anymore. But Hermione had given Holly something to think about as she climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something… What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide — except perhaps Hogwarts. It looked as though Holly had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	15. Chapter 15

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry, Holly, and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by the next morning Harry, Holly, and Ron thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. 

After, Holly had informed Mad, Shannon, and Christian about the stunt Malfoy pulled they were not happy. Though when hearing about the part with the dog, they gaped in shock. Harry and Holly filled Ron and others in about the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry.

“What could be that important?” Holly questioned the boys.

“I can’t think of any wizarding artifact that would need that kind of protection. Mad?” Shannon interjected.

“No, niente comes to mind.”

But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues. Holly was close to slamming her head on the table in curiosity. Her mind kept racing over the possible objects that could be in the box but they were either too large or too common to fit in the box. However, neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again. 

Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry, Ron, AND Holly but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they (the boys) saw this as an added bonus.

All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. 

The twins and their friends were just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of Holly, knocking her bacon to the floor.

“My bacon?!” Holly exclaimed in sadness. 

They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Holly ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:

_ DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE. _

_ It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you two tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session. _

_ Professor McGonagall  _

Holly was so happy, that she didn’t even notice Harry grab the letter from her hand or her hair turning yellow. He with the others looking over his shoulders read it. 

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously, Mad and the others were less enthusiastic and went back to eating their food. "I've never even touched one." 

Harry, Holly, and Ron left the hall quickly, practically racing each other, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Holly and felt it. 

"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Holly with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

Ron couldn't resist it.

"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?"

Ron grinned at Harry and Holly. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus." 

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig." 

Before Ron, Harry, or Holly could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Holly. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," said Holly, as she, Ron and Harry fought not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," she added. 

The twins and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall we wouldn't be on the team…" 

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Holly’s hand. 

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now;" said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

Holly slapped him behind the head, then turned to look at Hermione with a softened expression. “I’m really sorry Hermione, I think of you as a great friend but you and I both know that what Malfoy did was mean and his behavior was unacceptable. I know you want us to follow the rules, but I won’t stand by when someone thinks it’s okay bully another person. Even if that means I have to break a hundred rules to stop it.” Holly replied, causing Hermione, Harry, and Ron to look at her surprised. Harry knew that after the way the Dudley and his friends treated them, Holly was completely against bullying. 

Before Hermione could reply, Ron spoke up, “You don’t need to be sorry, Holly!” 

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.

Holly punched Ron in shoulder, hard. “Darn it, Ron!”

The trio had a lot of trouble keeping her mind on her lessons that day. Especially Holly, whose kept wandering up to the dormitory where her new broomstick was lying under her bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where she and her brother would be learning to play that night. She bolted her dinner that evening without noticing what she was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron and Harry to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.

"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry’s bedspread. Holly had brought it to the boy’s dormitory since there were no boys allowed in hers, also because she wanted to unwrap privately. She was also trying to avoid Hermione, not knowing what her incredibly smart roommate would do to her after what she said. 

Even Harry and Holly, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top. Holly felt so powerful as she held her broom…her broom…she liked the sound of that.

As seven o'clock drew nearer, the twins left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. They never have been inside the stadium before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They reminded the Potters of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.

Too eager and impatient to fly again to wait for Wood, Holly mounted her broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling — she swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever she wanted at her lightest touch. She loved feeling the wind through her ponytail and the whistling in her ears. She felt like a bird soaring high in the sky.

"Hey, Potter, come down!"

Oliver Wood had arrived. He was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm, Harry standing next to him, with another broomstick in hand. Holly landed next to them.

"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant… you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules this evening, and then you'll be joining team practice three times a week." 

He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.

"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers. That’s what you’ll be Harry."

"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a football.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?" 

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry and Holly recited in unison. 

"So — that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.

"Never mind," said Harry quickly.

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper — I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."

"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Holly, who was trying to remember it all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" She pointed at the three balls left inside the box.

"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."

He handed Harry and Holly small clubs, a bit like a short baseball bats.

"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers."

He showed the twins two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box. Holly was swinging around the club, trying it out.

"Stand back," Wood warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Holly’s face. Harry quickly swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking her nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air — it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground. 

"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team — the Weasley twins are ours — it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So — think you've got all that?"

"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goal posts…”

“…while the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry and Holly reeled off.

"Very good," said Wood.

"Er — have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.

"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you, Holly. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers —"

"— unless they crack her head open." Harry said, worried about his big sister.

"Don't worry, the Weasley's are more than a match for the Bludgers — I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves." 

Holly laughed thinking the same thing.

Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings. Holly had a strong urge to touch it.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages — I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep. Well, that's it any questions?"

Harry and Holly shook their head. They understood what they had to do all right; it was doing it that was going to be the problem.

"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and the twins were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for them to catch.

They didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.

"That Quidditch Cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons." 

The next day, started out like any other for the twins until Shannon, Mad, and Christian sat at their table with mischievous smirks on their faces. 

“What’s with you three?” Ron asked not understanding what the Slytherin trio was so happy about.

“Let’s just say Draco got his comeuppance.” Shannon said through her giggles. This got raised brows from the Gryffindors.

“What did you do?” Harry asked.

“Nothing illegal, right?” Holly added.

“Don’t worry, I made sure she didn’t go with her backup plan.” Mad assured.

“What was wrong with Plan B?” Shannon huffed.

“It was breaking his legs.”

“Madam Pomfrey could’ve fixed them!” Shannon defended. 

“Guys,” Everyone turned towards Christian. “Malfoy, just walked in.”

Ron, Harry, and Holly couldn’t hold in their laughter at what they saw. Malfoy’s normally pale white skin was now striped with Gryffindor’s colors. His expression wasn’t happy at all, which made the Gryffindors and Slytherins delight even more sweet. Malfoy quickly turned his glare towards them and stomped over.

“You did this?!” He pointed an accusing finger at Holly, Harry, and Ron.

“Why Malfoy whatever do you mean?” Holly said smarmily.

“Don’t play dumb, Potter! I know it was your group that made me look like this?!” He gestured to his body.

“It’s a improvement if you ask me!”

“Do you have any proof, Malfoy?” Shannon spoke up. “Also you have more of a winter coloring.”

“Don’t be so ‘red’ in the face. Silence is ‘golden’.” Christian joked, getting groans from the others. Before Malfoy could retort, Professor McGonagall arrived in the nick of time.

“Mr. Malfoy, what may I ask had brought along your sudden change of…coloring?”

Before Malfoy could answer, Mad stepped in her glasses precariously falling off her nose showing her red eyes. “Professor, I think Malfoy is trying to show his supporto for the Gryffindor Quidditch squadra. He was just saying how HONORABLE it is for them to keep their PROMISE to the team and training so hard, instead BLOWING IT OFF.”

“Am I to assume that is correct, Mr. Malfoy?”

Malfoy eyes were glassed over in a haze. “………Yes, it is Professor. Now I must head back to my table.” Malfoy said with a slight robotic tone and left. With a surprised ‘Carry on’ from Professor McGonagall the group went back to laughing. Ron was trying to convince Mad into hypnotizing Malfoy into thinking he was a chicken. 

Later on Holly, Mad, and Shannon found themselves in the library working on the essays they had to do for Potions. Ron and Harry were in the common room discussing quidditch. They sat in silence, until the silence was broken by Mad.

“We should start a band.” Mad said randomly, gaining the other girls interest.

“Why?” Holly asked, wondering what that could accomplish.

“Sounds like a fun thing to do. I could be on chitarra elettrica, Shannon on drums, and you can be our vocalist.”

“Why am I the singer?”

“Probably, because every time Mad tries to hit a high note it shatters glass.”

“That’s not the motivo. You are great at writing lyrics and your singing is buono.”

It was true, Holly was great at singing. When they were living with the Dursleys, Dudley joined the school’s choir thinking he could be a rock star. So he dragged Harry and Holly along to try and make himself look good. But when Holly ended up getting a solo instead of him, he made Aunt Petunia take him and the twins out of the class. Even after giving up the class, Holly still kept singing and started writing songs. Mad and Shannon had caught her writing one of the songs and Shannon wouldn’t stop bugging her until Holly gave in and let her see it. 

“I can’t write music.” Holly said. She was only good with the lyrics aspect of song writing. She was a lyricist, not a composer. 

“That’s bene. I’ll write the music while you handle the lyrics.”

“What will I do?” Shannon interjected.

“You can be in charge of costumes and special effects.”

“Okay count me in.”

“Holly?” They looked at the redhead, waiting for her answer.

“I’ll only do it as long as it doesn’t interfere with Quidditch practice and homework.”

“Then it’s convenuto. We have started a banda. First order of affair, Holly I think we should work on that song you were working on in History of Magic.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	16. Chapter 16

Perhaps it was because she was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week and band practice once a week on top of all her homework, but Holly could hardly believe it when she realized that she'd already been at Hogwarts two months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. Her lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Mad and Shannon had invited Holly, Ron, and Harry to dress up with them. Shannon had designed some costumes for them after hearing that Harry and Holly never trick or treated before. She even shared some gingerdead men that her mother had sent. They were tasty but Harry said he could do without the screaming when you bit into them. Shannon defended saying that’s what made than so unique. 

Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom.

Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Harry’s partner was Seamus Finnigan (which was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye).

Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to any of them since the day Holly’s' broomstick had arrived. She didn't even say goodnight to Holly like she did every night or study together. In the end, Holly happily paired up with Neville, who was being avoided by the rest of the class. She thought what the boy lacked in skill he made up for in kindness and effort.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor

Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too — never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it — Harry had to put it out with her hat. Holly got her feather up on the first attempt and praised by Professor Flitwick for it. She was now guiding Neville through the wrist movement.

“You’re doing it wrong. It’s swish and flick, not flick and swish.”

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Holly heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads. Holly chuckled at Ron’s face. He may be their friend, but his expressions were just too funny to miss.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it, too!"

Holly smiled and gave Hermione a thumbs up, glad someone else could do it. Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to the twins as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Before could reprimand him someone knocked into Holly as they hurried past her. It was Hermione. Holly caught a glimpse of her face — and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Holly’s anger boiled over when he said that.

“That’s it, Ron Weasley! I’ve had enough of your attitude towards Hermione! All she has ever done was look out for us, when we did stupid stuff! She has had every opportunity to turn us in and she didn’t! Not. Even. Once! And all you’ve ever done is be mean to her! Now you make her cry and you say that of all things!? Next time, you see her you’re going to apologize for being such a jerk to her! Or so help me I will feed you to that three headed dog, GOT IT?!” Holly screeched at Ron, who nervously nodded his head in fear.

Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon, which worried Holly. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry, Holly, and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this and watched as Holly gave him one last glare before to running to look for Hermione. Harry and Ron hadn’t noticed because a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll — in the dungeons — thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.

"I've just thought — Hermione."

"What about her?"

"She doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

“Wait,” Harry finally noticed. “Holly, where’s Holly?!”

Ron and Harry looked at each other in horror, not even caring if Percy sees they turned around and ran. Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.

All of them looked over at Percy. Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.  And then they heard it — a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed — at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.

It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite grey, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet.

The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The key's in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the other hand, when Holly learned about Hermione crying in the bathroom all day, she raced to look for her. After running to and searching most of the girls’ bathrooms Holly had finally managed to find Hermione. She heard crying from one of the stalls and knocked on it.

“Hermione, you in there? Open up?” Holly knew it was a stupid question to ask but it was worth a shot.

“Go away.”

“I can’t do that when my friend is crying.” Holly tried to comfort.

“I don’t have any friends.”

“I’ll break down the door if I have to.”

There was a moment of silence before there was a door click and Holly went in. She saw Hermione sobbing, sitting on the toilet.

“Oh, Hermione,” Holly walked over to Hermione and gave her a hug, letting the brunette cry on her shoulder, trying to hide her awkwardness at comforting. She was not a comforter, she was more of the beat-the-person-up-that-made-her-friend-cry kind of person. “Remember what I said earlier. I always considered you a friend. A great one.”

Hermione told her how she was having a hard time making friends and how Ron’s attitude towards her wasn’t helping.

“That idiot says stuff before thinking it through. He actually regrets how he treated you and wants to apologize.” Holly said, leaving out the part about how she threatened Ron.

“Really?”

“You bet. Also I think he might have a crush on you.” Holly smirked at Hermione’s embarrassed face. She let Hermione calm down before helping her up, taking her to the sinks to help her straighten up.

“Now let’s go to Great Hall, so those idiots can apologize. Then we can finish our homework in our dorm room.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!"

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop — a high, petrified scream — and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.

"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.

"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.

"Holly and Hermione!" they shouted together.

It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.

Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. Holly standing protectively between the girl and the troll with bricks waiting throw it if the troll got to close. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Holly and Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, and then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Holly yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror. “Darn it!”

Holly quickly picked up Hermione and ran to out of the corner carrying her frightened friend. The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. Propping Hermione against a wall, Holly took out her wand and shot sparks at the dumb troll, while yelling at the others to do something or run away.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten her arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when she'd jumped – it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; the troll ripped him off by the ankle dangling him in mid-air.

“Harry! Put him down, you ugly bastard!” Holly said picking up a brick and throwing it at the troll’s head. The troll then turned its attention to Holly.

"Do something!" yelled Harry, lifting his body up to miss the blow with the club.

"What?" yelled Ron panicked.

"Anything!" he said avoiding another blow.

Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand — not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over — and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot, dropping Harry to the floor and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

“Harry!?” Holly shouted running towards her brother.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done. Holly was busy checking her brother for injuries.

_‘Arms? No. Legs? No. Head? No...’_

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it — dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out."

“That was…interesting. Good job, Ron. Now Harry…” Holly turned to her brother and grabbed him by the collar. “If you ever do something that stupid and dangerous again a troll won’t be what you should be scared of!?”

“Sorry, sis.”

“You better be?! I was so worried?!” She said, hugging him tightly in relief. “Now I think you should get your wand.”

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy grey glue.

"Urgh — troll boogers."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

“Cool!” Holly laughed, getting funny looks from her brother and friends.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, Holly, and Harry. They had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.

 _‘We’re dead.’_ Holly thought.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. When Holly looked at him, he quickly looked away. The twins looked at the floor. Harry wished Ron would put his wand down.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall — they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I — I thought I could deal with it on my own — you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher? Holly couldn’t believe it!

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Holly got me out of its way before it could attack, Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them. Holly was still looking at the floor.

"Well — in that case…" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. Holly was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets. Holly must’ve been rubbing off on her, she was so proud.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, Holly, and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her and Holly," Harry reminded him.

“Or if you hadn’t been so mean to her the FIRST place. Then she wouldn’t even have been there when troll was.” Holly added. “Which reminds me you still haven’t apologized to her yet. Speaking of which…”

Holly remembered what Ron had done and grabbed his ear, twisting it slightly. “I don’t want any more meanness towards her, okay?”

Ron hopped on his left foot. “OW, OW, OW, OKAY, I’M SORRY?!”

“With feeling!”

“ALL RIGHT! I, RONALD WEASLEY, PROMISE ON MY WAND TO NEVER BE MEAN TO HERMIONE GRANGER AGAIN!!! NOW LET GO OF MY EAR?!”

“What’s the magic word?” said Holly, pinching Ron’s ear harder.

“PLEASE LET GO OF MY EAR?!”

Holly let him go, she patted his head. “Good boy.”

Harry laughing on her left and slight scared, that was the reason he never tried to make his older sister angry.

Ron and Harry looked at each other before Holly broke into laughter, making them laugh too. They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. Holly quickly ran up to the girl embracing her in a bone crushing hug and twirled her around. “You are the greatest, Mione!” Holly said as put the short girl back on the ground. “Oh. Right.”

Holly pushed Ron in front of Hermione, giving him the look. Ron looked between Holly and Hermione and sighed. “Fine……I’m sorry for being a jerk...and saying those mean things.”

“I forgive you.”

There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates. But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them. Holly couldn’t stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	17. Chapter 17

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy grey and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots. Even Holly, who had never really gotten cold, felt the change here. The ones that seemed the most affected by the change in the weather was Shannon and Christian. The American witch and lyca were bundled up tight, not accustom to even seeing snow due growing up in the always sunny part of California.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Holly and Harry would be playing in their first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. Holly was so excited when she heard the news that she wanted to dance around, which she ended up doing with Mad and Shannon.

Hardly anyone had seen Harry or Holly play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, they should be kept, well, secret. But the news that Holly was playing Seeker and Harry as chaser had leaked out somehow (“It was Shannon.” revealed Mad) and Harry didn't know which was worse -- people telling them they'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around underneath them holding a mattress. It wasn’t helping that Shannon and Christian were selling Gryffindor pins and flags that said ‘Potter’ on them.

It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend, something that Holly was ecstatic about. He didn't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her and Holly, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

While Harry would do his homework, Holly would either work on song lyrics or read through the book, which she had done, like, a dozen times before because of Hermione’s recommendation. Harry would often sneak readings instead of doing his homework, which would receive a slap on the back of his head from Holly, which mostly cracked Ron up for some reason, until Holly would snap at him to do his homework as well.

Harry and Holly learned that there were about seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert. Harry pointed this out to Holly and she told him all of the possible theories she had on the subject.

Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry, Holly and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. The day before Holly and Harry's first Quidditch match the four of them along with Mad, Shannon, and Christian were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping.

Harry, Ron, Holly, Mad, Shannon, Christian and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway. Not even his fellow Slytherin students were spared from his gaze.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly. Holly shook her head at him, she didn’t have anything against Snape.

“Maybe, he fell in my bear trap.” Shannon said as she rubbed her gloved hands together for warmth. “I was wondering where it went.”

“Why do you have a bear trap?” Ron asked.

“And how did you lose it?” Harry wondered.

“She was setting it up when she accidently set herself on fire.” Mad stated remembering the ordeal of having to put out the flaming redhead.

“Fire loves me so much that it always wants to stay with me, though sometimes it gets too emotional for my taste.”

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, Holly, Mad, Shannon, Christian and Hermione sat together next to a window. The Slytherin trio had formed a sort-of study group with the Gryffindors and they had decided that it was better to use the Gryffindor common room. Some Gryffindors were still giving them dirty looks or glares but the trio either didn’t care or notice.

Hermione and Mad were checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. Hermione would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right answers anyway and they couldn’t copy from Mad on account of her horrid handwriting. And if they even tried to copy from Shannon or Holly they would meet the wrong side of quill.

Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of Snape? Getting up, he told the others he was going to ask Snape if he could have it. He also tried to convince Holly to come along but she reminded him that two Potters were worse than one. The Slytherins were advising him against it, saying that an angry Snape was the worst kind.

"Better you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again. Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed the door ajar and peered inside -- and a horrible scene met his eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but –

"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Harry gulped. "I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!"

Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them.

"What's the matter?" Holly asked, confused at how Harry had come running in.

“We told you. An angry Snape is non buono.”

In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him -- he's after whatever it's guarding! And I bet he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes were wide.

"No -- he wouldn't,” she said, "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

“Yeah, Snape might not be kindest teacher at Hogwarts, but I don’t think he’s betray-the whole-school bad.” Shannon defended.

“Still if the oggetto is as pontente as we think it is then there could be a possibilità. I mean given the right temptation…” Mad interjected, not knowing what to think.

“…But still to go as far as betraying the school…Dumbledore. It seems unlikely.” Christian said.

"Honestly, Hermione, Shannon, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry and Mad. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?" Holly looked down, in wonder. “Whatever it is, it must be really, really powerful.”

Holly went to bed, her mind going through any possible explanation to what might be under the trapdoor. The dorm was so quiet that the silence seemed deafening. There was an occasional noise of one the girls turning on their sides, or snoring in their sleep but Holly couldn't sleep. Her wouldn’t stop racing -- she needed to sleep, she had to, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything." The Potter twins whined in unison.

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry." Harry said.

“C’mon just an itsy bitsy bite.” Shannon encouraged, poking Holly’s face with a piece of bacon. For the occasion, she had sewn up a Gryffindor cheerleader outfit. A red tank top with gold trim and matching skirt. On the front of the shirt was the Gryffindor crest. Her hair was done up in twin tails with red and gold bow and she even had a matching pair of pom-poms.

“I’ll bite your hand off, Shannon.”

“It’s just first game ansia.”

It was true. Holly was anxious; her mind kept focusing on all the bad things that could happen. In an hour's time they’d be walking onto the field.

“Oh, c’mon you’re just going to be playing in front of the whole school in a game that can make or break your houses chances of winning and if you mess- “Shannon was silenced by Christian sticking a roll in her mouth.

“You’re making it worse.”

"Holly, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Holly, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry and Holly, they had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potters for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors. Mad, Christian, and Shannon had dawned their Gryffindor cheer garb. Shannon with her cheerleading outfit, Mad with her gold and red scarf with ‘Potter’ flags, and Christian was dressed like a lion thanks to Shannon.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry, Holly and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry and Holly, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Holly and Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, both hoping their knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Holly noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Holly thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potters for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver. Holly looked over and saw it too, noticing Hermione waving at her just above the banner. Mad and Shannon were yelling things Holly couldn’t make out. She waved at them energetically.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Holly clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and her fears disappearing. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. "And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor -- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too --"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Harry Potter, a good find of Oliver Wood's, the youngest chaser -- back to Johnson and -- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes -- Flint flying like an eagle up there -- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle -- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and -- OUCH -- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger -- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins -- that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger -- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which -- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes -- she's really flying -- dodges a speeding Bludger -- the goal posts are ahead -- come on, now, Angelina -- Keeper Bletchley dives -- misses -- GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Holly hasn't had much to do yet."

“I hope it appears soon. I want to see My Prince in action.” Shannon said as she looked at the game through her opera glasses.

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Holly. Then looking at Mad, Shannon, and Christian. “Who might yeh three be? The Slytherins Holly was talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Yes, sir. I’m Mad and this is Christian and Shannon.” Mad introduced her fellow housemates.

Way up above the others, Holly was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood's game plan.

"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

When Angelina had scored, Holly had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off her feelings. Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Holly dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Holly?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the -- wait a moment -- was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Holly saw it. In a great rush of excitement, she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in mid-air to watch.

Holly was faster than Higgs -- she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - - she put on an extra spurt of speed –

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below -- Marcus Flint had blocked Holly on purpose, and Holly’s broom spun off course, Holly holding on for dear life. Harry let out a little yell when he saw his twin sister hanging on. As Holly recovered her eyes and hair flashed like fire in anger.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

 _‘Damn it!”_ Holly internally screamed.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!" "But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side. "They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Holly outta the air."

“That was a cheap trucco.” Mad shouted.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So -- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-”

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul-”

“Jordan, I'm warning you --"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Potter, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

 _“Good job, bro!”_ Holly thought.

It was as Holly dodged another Bludger which went spinning dangerously past her head that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She’d never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Holly tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts -- she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out -- and then she realized that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her. Holly hair fell out of her loose ponytail, covering her face and back. Now she couldn’t even see properly.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession -- Flint with the Quaffle -- passes Potter -- passes Bell -- hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose -- only joking, Professor -- Slytherins score -- A no...”

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Holly’s broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Holly thinks she's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say she'd lost control of her broom... but she can't have...."

“Attendere un minute, Shannon let me see your binoculars.” Mad grabbed Shannon’s binoculars and zoomed in on Holly, eyes widening in realization. “This is bad!!!”

“What’s wrong?” Ron asked not getting it.

“Look!”

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Holly all over the stands. Her broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Holly broom had given a wild jerk and she swung off it. She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand. Holly’s eyes were wide in horror as she tried to hold on, her heart almost stopped beating for a moment.

“HELP!?” Holly screamed.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked her?" Seamus whispered.

“Who cares! Someone get My Prince before she falls!” Shannon screamed in hysterics. “Holly don’t let go?!”

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic -- no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At Hagrid’s words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Holly, she started looking frantically at the crowd. Mad getting the point was scanning with Shannon’s.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, grey-faced.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape -- look."

“I see him too!” Mad added.

Ron and Shannon grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Holly and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He’s doing something -- jinxing the broom," said Hermione.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to us."

Before Ron could say another word, Hermione and Shannon had disappeared. Ron and Mad turned the binoculars back on Holly. Her broom was vibrating so hard; it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Holly safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good -- every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing. Seamus, Dean, and Christian were holding Mad back to keep her jumping off to try and rescue Holly.

“I can get to her in my bat form! Lasciami andare”

Harry’s followed Holly as she tried to get back on her broom but every time she would try to do so, the broom would jerk. Holly looked down and saw Fred and George, with Harry just nearby. Holly bit her lower lip, so hard that she could taste blood. Holly’s couldn’t understand what to do. Whether to try to get on the broom again or just hang on there. Holly decided on broom, gaining up momentum from the jerks she latched onto the broom. Now upside down and clinging to the wood with her arms and legs.

"Come on, Hermione, Shannon" Ron muttered desperately.

Hermione and Shannon had fought their way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; they didn't even stop to say sorry as they knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, Hermione crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes. Shannon’s breathe helping to spread the flames.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told them they had done their job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, they scrambled back along the row -- Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Holly was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom. She pushed her hair back. Gripping her broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

“That was terrificante.” Mad sighed in relief, knowing that her friend was okay. “Wait, what’s she doing?”

Holly was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw her clap her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick -- she hit the field on all fours -- coughed -- and something gold fell into her hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" she shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion. Holly almost fell back on the ground due to dizziness from all that that happened but Harry, who had landed just beside her, caught her.

"She didn't catch it, she nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference -- Holly hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results -- Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Holly heard none of this, though. She was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with Harry, Ron, Shannon, Mad, Christian and Hermione.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. Same with Mad and Shannon. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

“Hold your horses, Red. Maybe he was muttering something to counter the curse.” Shannon defended, not assuming the whole story.

“Then how do you spiegare, the curse stopping after he broke eye contact.” Mad reasoned. “He did it.”

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. “Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry, Ron, Holly, Christian, Shannon, Mad and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on the truth. Holly just stayed out of the conversation, her head hurt a lot and she still had a hard time getting her senses back.

"I found out something about him," Harry told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?" Holly looked up.

"Yeah -- he's mine -- bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year -- I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-”

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly. The others leaning in to know.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

“The school could be in danger!”

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher; he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Holly?" cried Hermione. Holly looked away again, not sure if Snape was good like she thought.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed Hermione and Shannon’s mind about Snape.

“I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid; I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Holly’s broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all of yeh -- yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel --"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?" Hagrid looked furious with himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	18. Chapter 18

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He was looking over at Harry and Holly as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Holly looked at him from the corner of her eyes, rolling them when she saw him act all proud.

“Don’t listen to him, Holly. He’s just geloso.” Mad as she helped Holly brew their potion.

Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Holly as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Holly had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting the Potters about having no proper family. They were tempted to take Shannon’s offer of turning him into a snail.

It was true that Harry and Holly weren’t going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and the Potter twins had signed up at once. They didn't feel sorry for themselves at all; this would probably be the best Christmas they’d ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr and Mrs.Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. Hermione, Shannon, Mad, and Christian were going back home to celebrate with their families. 

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Came Malfoy’s cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking. Holly glared at him harshly.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him --"  
"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

“And I’m going to punch that smirk off Malfoy’s face one day,” muttered Holly, angrily.  “Just you watch,”

“I’ll help you.” Mad added, Christian and Shannon nodded.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the seven of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to -the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree -- put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me – Holly, Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

“Guess that means we’ll be heading out.” Shannon said.

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

“And we’re following Snape to see what he does.” Shannon added happily.

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here -- I've told yeh -- drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin' an’ it Snape bein’ is rubbish."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere -- just give us a hint -- I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin,” said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library. Holly laughed, following them.

“Bye, you guys. Good luck.” Shannon said before Mad, Christian, and her went to spy on Snape. Christian would help to keep track of Snape, Mad would use her bat form for more stealth surveillance, and Shannon was there in case they needed an explosion to make a quick escape.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Hermione and Holly took out a list of subjects and titles they had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. He had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and he knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, boy?"

"Nothing," said Harry.

Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.

"You'd better get out, then. Go on -- out!"

Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, Holly and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Harry waited outside in the corridor to see if the other three had found anything, but he wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.

Five minutes later, Holly, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is," said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

Once the holidays had started, Holly, Ron and Harry were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. They had their dormitories to themselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so they were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. They sat by the hour eating anything they could spear on a toasting fork -- bread, English muffins, marshmallows -- and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.

Even though Holly had the whole girls’ dormitories to herself alone, she took this chance to do everything she wanted to try out in silence and without any interruptions. New spells, writing new songs, drawing (failed at that), practicing singing, dancing, and playing with Heidi. Next thing on Holly’s list was trying to transfigure her quill into a sword and her pillow into a shield. Though whenever Holly had gotten lonely she would hang out or spend the night with Ron and Harry in their dorm. She also got closer to the Weasley twins, who were all over the castle, pranking and finding secret passages out. They apparently liked some of her ideas for inventions.

Ron also started teaching Harry and Holly wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family -- in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.

Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him; we can afford to lose him."

On the other hand, Holly couldn’t remember which way the pieces move and she kept on getting in arguments with the queen (“Who are you to order me around?!” “I’m the one playing, you little-?!”). She had to forfeit to Ron and was now sulking near the fireplace. On Christmas Eve, both the Potters went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. When Holly woke early in the morning, however, the first thing she saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of her bed.

When Harry woke up, he found a small pile of packages on the foot of his bed too, and saw Holly sitting on Neville’s empty bed with her own presents. “Merry Christmas, Harry, Ron!” Laughed Holly.

"Merry Christmas," said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.

"You, too," said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"

"What did you expect, turnips?" said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry and Holly 's.

“About time you got up! Any longer and I would’ve gotten a bucket!” Holly smiled. Now that they had presents, she wanted to open them with Harry.

Holly picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it was  _To Holly,_  from Hagrid. Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. Holly blew it -- it sounded a bit like an owl. Harry seemed to have gotten the same, but both of them had their initials on them (HLP and HJP).

A second, very small parcel contained a note.

_ We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note was a fifty-penny piece. _

"That's friendly," said Harry, having received the same. Ron was fascinated by the fifty pence.

"Weird!" he said, “What a shape! This is money?"

"You can keep it," said Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron was, Holly handed him hers too.

"Hagrid and my aunt and uncle -- so who sent these?"

"I think I know who that one's from," said Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you two didn't expect any presents and -- oh, no," he groaned, "she's made you both a Weasley sweater."

Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in red and a large box of homemade fudge. Holly doing the same and found an emerald green sweater and a large box of homemade fudge same as Harry’s.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," said Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," said Holly, trying the fudge, which was very tasty. She put on her sweater. Harry nodded in agreement. “I feel so snuggily.”

Their next present also contained candy – two large boxes of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione. Holly picked up another present that was addressed to both the twins.

“Who’s that from?”

“The tag says ‘Happy Holly-days! Hope things don’t get Harry.’ Must be from Mad, Christian, and Shannon.” The twins opened the box to see two square objects wrapped in silver paper, each addressed to a twin, surrounded by chocolate frogs. Holly and Harry opened their gifts.

“It’s Quidditch Through the Ages!” Harry said as he flipped through his new book. Holly was admiring her new leather bound journal with ‘HP’ written in golden letters. 

“And just think you thought all Slytherins were bad!” Holly chided smugly to Ron and Harry. 

“I don’t those three can count as actual Slytherins.” Ron said with red cheeks, as Holly chuckled. Harry mentally agreed with his sister as he admired his new book.

Both the Potters were left only one parcel now, Harry picked his up and felt it, it was really light. He quickly unwrapped it.

Something fluid and silvery grey went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Ron gasped.

"I've heard of those," he said in a hushed voice, dropping the box of Every Flavor Beans he'd gotten from Hermione. "If that's what I think it is -- they're really rare, and really valuable."

"What is it?"

Harry picked the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It was strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an invisibility cloak," said Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is -- try it on."

Harry threw the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gave a yell. Holly almost choked on the chocolate frog she was eating. “Woah!”

"It is! Look down!"

Harry looked down at his feet, but they were gone. He dashed to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looked back at him, just his head suspended in mid-air, his body completely invisible. He pulled the cloak over his head and his reflection vanished completely.

"There's a note!" said Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"

Harry pulled off the cloak and seized the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words:

_ Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. _   
_A Very Merry Christmas to you._

There was no signature. Harry stared at the note. Ron was admiring the cloak.

"I'd give anything for one of these," he said. "Anything. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Harry. He felt very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father?

“Wait, Holly,” Ron said, looking at her stack. “You’ve got a present still left; do you think it’s something like Harry’s?” Holly bit her lower lip in excitement and picked up the package, unwrapping it as quickly as she could and found the same exact material inside. “Whoa,” Ron gushed, yet again. Holly however was more curious to who had sent it than its properties.

But before she could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounded in. Harry threw the cloak to Holly who stuffed them both quickly out of sight. They didn't feel like sharing it with anyone else yet.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look – Harry and Holly 's got Weasley sweaters, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Theirs are better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned half-heartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid -- we know we're called Gred and Forge."

“Ha-ha, very funny now switch back.” Holly said. After being around the twins a while she was able to notice the tiny difference between them. Like how George was more of follower while Fred was the leader. Ron had chalked it up to it being a twin thing.

Fred seemed to have suddenly remembered something when he looked at Holly setting aside the wrappings because he let out a loud laugh.

“What is it?” Ron asked, looking at the twin skeptically.

“I just remembered something,” Fred replied, chuckling.

“What?” Harry asked. Fred wiggled his eyebrows at George.

“We something for our little Holly,” Fred and George joked. 

“Oo ya alling ittle.” Holly said as she sucked up another chocolate frog. She didn’t like to be called little. 

“Stop all this seriously, what is it?” Ron asked, just as curious as Harry and Holly. The latter was preparing in case it was one of their pranks. Holly didn’t know what to expect since she was never really popular with the opposite gender.

George pulled out the little pack from his pocket, wrapped roughly in a green wrapping paper and held it out to Holly. She looked up at the twins confused and grabbed the little box.

“It isn’t going to explode when I open it, right?” Holly asked.

“Probably not.” The twins replied.

She looked at the others, who were all looking at her expectably. Holly the little box, quickly drawing her face away in case it exploded. When it didn’t and she finally saw what was inside she gasped. It was a beautiful locket that was made to resemble a golden snitch. Holly pulled it and looked at it closely, smiling slightly. 

“It’s a reminder of how you won your first game.” Fred said.

“By spectacularly catching the snitch with your mouth.” George added.

“This is really beautiful, Fred, George, thank you,” Holly said. She reached out and hugged them. 

“Look at them, Harry. They’re blushing,” Ron chuckled, not noticing the annoyed look on Harry’s face. Ron reached out to Harry and whispered. “I don’t even know what they were doing in the jewelry shop to have had noticed that necklace that reminded them of Holly,” Harry laughed faintly.

"What's all this noise?”

Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Holly got one."

"I -- don't -- want said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George, returning to his old self.

"Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater. George waving a bye to Holly.

Holly walked over to Harry and asked him to help her get the necklace on and they decided to go to the great hall. The sweater was probably the first thing ever that she received made especially for her and she loved the feeling.

Now neither Harry nor Holly had ever in all their lives so far had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce -- and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Holly looked up at the High Table and saw that Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet, and was chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. Holly watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Holly’s amazement, giggled and blushed, with her top hat lopsided. Holly wanted in on the fun and chased Ron around with mistletoe. The tables turned when Fred and George started chasing her.

“This is only funny when it happens to someone else.” Holly said as she ran away from the redheads.

When Holly finally left the table, she was herself laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow-Your-Own-Warts kit, and her own new wizard chess set. Harry himself had his own admiral’s hat, luminous balloons, a few jokes, and a wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Harry had a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs.Norris's Christmas dinner.  
  
Harry and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Holly was particularly the target of the Weasley twins, the former couldn’t stop laughing the whole time as she tried to dodge them, her cheeks and nose all red and hair bright. Then cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. He suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much. Holly was talking to the twins about the invention doodles she did in her room, such as ‘Stick On Wings’ or ‘Party in a Box’. 

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge. Holly casually laid across one of the armchairs nearest to the fire as she wrote some new lyrics in her notebook and yawned, her sides hurting from all the laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	19. Chapter 19

It had been Holly’s best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of her mind all day. Not until she climbed into bed was she free to think about it: the invisibility cloak and whoever had sent it. She played with her necklace and slipped deeper into the comforter, trying to get warmer.

The dormitory was quieter than ever, there was hardly, hardly any noise, except maybe a light hoot in the distance. The only thing she could hear was her breathing. Holly then leaned over the side of her own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.

Her father's... this had been her father's. She let the material flow over her hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

She had to try it, now. She slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around herself. Looking down at her legs, she saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling. Use it well.

Suddenly, Holly felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to her in this cloak. Excitement flooded through her as she stood there in the dark and silence. She could go anywhere with this, anywhere at all, and Filch would never know. Holly sneaked out of her dormitory and onto the stairs where, instead of going downstairs, went across to the boy’s dormitory. She slipped inside and looked around for Harry’s room. She found it and walked inside, going straight for Harry’s bed, shaking him awake.

“Holly?” Harry asked, reaching out for his glasses.

“Whatever you do don’t scream,” Holly quietened him.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, now quieter.

“The invisibility cloak,” Holly said. “Let’s try it out,” Harry quickly leaped out of the bed, nodding.

Ron grunted in his sleep. Should they wake him? Something held them back -- their father's cloak -- they felt that this time -- the first time -- they wanted to use it alone.

They crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.

"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Neither Harry nor Holly said anything. They walked quickly down the corridor.

Where should they go? Harry stopped, his heart racing, and thought. Holly stopped too.

“The Restricted Section in the library.” Harry whispered. They'd be able to read as long as they liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. They set off, drawing their invisibility cloaks tight around themselves as they walked. Holly pushed back her hair and rubbed her eyes. The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lit a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. Holly simply followed it to wherever Harry was going. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in mid-air, and even though Harry could feel his arm supporting it, the sight gave him the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles, Holly followed suite.

They didn't tell them much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages neither Harry nor Holly could understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be. Holly sniffled slightly, looking behind her.

They had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, Harry looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book while Holly looked through the other column. A large black and silver volume caught Harry’s eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence -- the book was screaming! Holly jumped and fell back in shock, clutching her head. Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, ear-splitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, Holly heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside -- stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, she pulled Harry away and ran for it. They passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through them, and they slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in their ears.

They came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. They had been so busy getting away from the library; they hadn't paid attention to where they were going. Perhaps because it was dark, they didn't even recognize where they were at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, they knew, but they must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."

Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Holly pushed the hair out of her face again, horrified. Wherever they were, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

The Potter twins stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see them, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into them -- the cloak didn't stop them from being solid. Holly covered mouth, trying to be as silent as possible.

Harry backed away as quietly as he could, pulling Holly along. A door stood ajar to their left. It was their only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, pulling Holly along, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything.

They walked straight past, and the Potter twins leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before Holly actually let herself breath. She noticed anything about the room they had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket -- but propped against the wall facing them was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Her panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Holly moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at herself but see no reflection again. She stepped in front of it.

She had to clap her hands to her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She whirled around. Her heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed -- for she had seen not only herself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind her. Harry, who was heard the shuffling, turned around and noticed the mirror, knowing Holly must be in front of it.

But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, Holly turned slowly back to the mirror.

There she was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected behind her, were at least ten others. Holly looked over her shoulder, ignoring Harry’s questions -- but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was she in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

She looked in the mirror again. A woman standing right behind her reflection was smiling at her and waving. Holly reached out a hand and felt the air behind her. If she was really there, she'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but she felt only air – the woman and the others existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. Her hair and her eyes – her appearance is just like mine, Holly thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green and dark red hair -- exactly the same, but then Holly noticed that the woman was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did.

Holly was so close to the mirror now that her nose was nearly touching that of her reflection.

"Mum?" she whispered. "Dad?"

They just looked at her, smiling. And slowly, Holly looked into the faces of the other people in the mirror, Holly also saw Harry standing beside her, and saw other pairs of green eyes like hers, other noses like hers, even a little old man who looked as though he had Harry’s knobbly knees -- Holly was looking at her family, for the first time in her life.

The Potters smiled and waved at Holly and she stared hungrily back at them, her hands pressed flat against the glass as though she was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. She had a powerful kind of ache inside her, half joy, half terrible sadness. She felt like crying. She was seeing what she always wondered and dreamed about her family. She looked at her mother, thinking of all the similarities between her mum’s looks and hers and Harry’s resemblance to their father.

How long she stood there, she didn't know. The reflections did not fade and she looked and looked until a distant noise brought her back to her senses.

“Holly,” Harry whispered. “Where are you?”

Holly pulled off the cloak and looked around. Harry became visible just seconds later. “What are you doing? Why are you crying?”

“Harry,” Holly said, her face wiped off of emotions. “Harry, look at the mirror, mum… dad…”

“What?” Harry asked, shocked. “Where?”

“In the mirror,” Harry looked at the mirror and quickly walked in front of it, standing right where Holly was a minute ago and looked inside.

Harry was speechless.

They couldn't stay here; they had to find their way back to their beds. Harry tore his eyes away from the mirror, and whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room, Holly right behind him.

"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly.

"You can come tonight, we’re going back, and we want to show you the mirror.”

"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."

“Then we’re gonna be there a while.” Holly commented.

"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"

Neither of the Potters could eat. They had seen their parents and would be seeing them again tonight. Harry had almost forgotten about Flamel. It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really?

Holly rubbed her eyes.

"Are you two all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."

What Harry feared most was that he might not be able to find the mirror room again. With Ron covered in the cloak, too, they had to walk much more slowly the next night. Holly however was walking hurriedly all around the place. They tried retracing the Potters’ route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."

"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere."

“Harry, I don’t think we’ll find it tonight.” Holly said, her voice laced with sadness.

They passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted the suit of armor. "It's here -- just here -- yes!"

They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror. Holly quickly following after him.

There they were. Their mother and father beamed at the sight of them.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything."

"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them...."

"I can only see you."

"Look in it properly, go on, and stand where I am."

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas. Holly stood a little behind Harry.

Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No -- I'm alone -- but I'm different -- I look older -- and I'm head boy!"

"What?"

"I am -- I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to -- and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup -- I'm Quidditch captain, too.”

Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry and Holly.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? All of our family are dead -- let me have another look --"

"You had it to yourself all last night; give me a bit more time."

"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."

“Don’t fight guys.”

"Don't push me --"

A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.

"Quick!"

Ron threw the cloak back over them as the luminous eyes of Mrs Norris came round the door. Holly just had to throw the hood over her head and she was invisible. She, Ron and Harry stood quite still, the three of them thinking the same thing -- did the cloak work on cats? After what seemed an age, she turned and left.

"This isn't safe -- she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on." And Ron pulled Harry out of the room.

The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.

"Want to play chess, Harry?" said Ron. “What about you, Holly?”

"No." replied Harry. Holly just quietly looked at nothing, not even noticing the probing she was getting from Fred and George to eat or if she was okay.

"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?"

"No... You go..."

"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight."

"Why not?"

"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it -- and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"

"You sound like Hermione."

"I'm serious, Harry, don't go." Ron said. “Look at yourself and look at Holly; she is looking really sick and hasn’t talked since leaving the mirror. She won’t eat anything either. Even Fred and George were questioning about this all,” Fred and George just stopped Holly’s head from falling onto the table. Holly didn’t flinch or bother looking at them. She was looking skinnier than usual and had dark circles over her eyes. She just kept staring at nothing, focusing on what she saw in the mirror. It was like she wasn’t even there.

Harry didn’t reply.  He only had one thought in his head, which was to get back in front of the mirror, and Ron wasn't going to stop him.

That third night they found their way more quickly than before. They were walking so fast they knew they were making more noise than was wise, but they didn't meet anyone.

And there were his mother and father smiling at him again, and one of his grandfather’s nodding happily. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family. Nothing at all. Holly was standing near the mirror, against the wall, lost in thought. Her eyes were dull and her hair looked like they weren’t taken care of for hours.

"So -- back again, Harry, Holly?"

Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.

"-I didn't see you, sir."

"Strange how near sighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "You and your sister, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

"It -- well -- it shows me, and Holly, our family --"

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy."

"How did you know --?"

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, which is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You and your sister, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. Look at your sister, while pondering what the mirror has shown her, she seems to have been forgetting much important things.”

 _‘So us ever seeing our parents again really is impossible.’_ Holly thought sadly.

“The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

Harry stood up, walking to Holly. He pulled her along, and Holly followed him faintly.

"Sir -- Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?" Holly asked, quietly, without looking at anything particularly.

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."

Holly looked up at Dumbledore.

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books." Harry sent Holly off to the girls’ dormitory, slightly worried if Holly would be able to get to her bed safely or not. Holly quietly waved him off and walked into her dormitory. She went to the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She shook her head and placed the palms of her hands on her eyes, rubbing slightly. She turned on the tap and splashed her face with freezing water that brought her back into her senses and looked back up. She touched her hair and decided that in order to keep her mind off what she saw in the mirror, she would work on perfecting her Metamorphmagus ability and protecting Harry.

 _‘He’s all I have left now.’_ Holly thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


	20. Chapter 20

Dumbledore had convinced Harry and Holly not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloaks stayed folded at the bottom of their trunks. Holly trying to take her mind off about what she had seen in the mirror but she couldn’t, instead, she started having nightmares. Over and over again, she dreamed the same thing: her parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter distantly.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Holly told them about these dreams.

Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Holly and Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that they hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was. Shannon, Christian, and Mad were more focused on Holly’s nightmares.

When Hermione saw Holly’s necklace and asked who got her it, Holly would just turn away blushing and Harry and Ron had to intervene. After this though, Hermione and Mad kept teasing Holly, who had to keep reminding them that it wasn’t anything like that. Harry on the other hand just looked ticked off for some reason. Shannon was searing with jealously, saying how she will give Holly a bigger and better present, which was stopped by Holly.

They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Holly was still sure she'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. The Potter twins had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again. Mad and Shannon put band practice on hold to spy on Snape.

Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Holly and Harry were on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Holly found that she had fewer nightmares when she was tired out after training.

Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.

"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch....However he also hoped that nothing would happen to Holly again, too.

The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry and Holly headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where they found Ron and Hermione playing chess with Mad, Shannon, and Christian. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry, Holly and Ron thought was very good for her.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Holly and Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen --" He caught sight of Holly’s face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

“Don’t say that to a girl, Ron.” Christian commented. “You’ll be sorry.”

This was proven correct when Holly punched him in the arm. Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee. Holly however didn’t pay attention to that because that wasn’t entirely the reason why her face looked like that. For a while, Holly had started feeling sick, sicker and sicker as the days passed.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

“That’s stupido, Ron. Madame Pomfrey would fix them immediatamente.” Mad commented.

“We could turn Malfoy into a goose,” Shannon offered.

“How will that keep us from playing?”

“I don’t know, but it’d be funny. Maybe if we set up some explosi-”

"We can't," said Harry. "Even if they arrange a chaser instead of me, there isn't a reserve Seeker. If Holly backs out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Holly who stopped him from falling forward. Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry, Holly and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

“Forget that! Let me handle him!” Holly seethed, as she rolled up the sleeves of her robe. “I’ll show him how I practice. C’mon Mad, Shannon, we’re going snake hunting.”

Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out. Holly’s expression changed into annoyance. _Stupid Malfoy, thinking he’s all cool and everything._

She felt in the pocket of her robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given her for Christmas. She gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Holly said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

“Hey!” Shannon, Mad, and Christian shouted.

“Sorry! The point is that you just haven’t realized your full potential Neville. I bet- No, I know you’ll do amazing things in the future.”

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Holly... I think I'll go to bed.... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" As Neville walked away, Holly looked at the Famous Wizard card.

"Dumbledore again," she said, "He was the first one I ever-”

She gasped. She stared at the back of the card. Then she looked up at the others.

"I've found him!" she whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here -- listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry, Christian, and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms. Holly, Mad, and Shannon however seemed to have understood what she went to get.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading with Holly."

"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.

At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected. Holly looked up from her card and looked at the boys, who were expressionless, except maybe confusion. Mad and Shannon also didn’t get it.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, honestly, don't you lot read? Look -- read that, there."

She pushed the book toward them, and the group read:

_The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal._

"See?" said Hermione, when the others had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

“I know I want it!” Shannon said. “With that rock I could finally achieve my dream of ruling the world! BWAHAHAHA- Oof!” Mad hit her friend with a book.

Holly looked down, playing with the card in her hands, wondering about what she will do on the Quidditch match.

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

“You should see mia madre’s real age.” Mad added.

The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Sorcerer's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Holly remembered about Snape and the coming match.

"I'm going to play," she told Ron and Hermione. "I’m not afraid of Snape or the Slytherins and I believe that Snape won’t do anything unfair to our team.”

Ron and Harry just stared at Holly like she had grown another head.

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione. “You need to be careful too, Harry,”

As the match drew nearer, however, Holly became more and more pumped; whatever she told Ron, Harry and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee?

Holly and Harry didn't know whether they were imagining it or not, but they seemed to keep running into Snape wherever they went. At times, Harry even wondered whether Snape was following them, trying to catch them on his own, but Holly brushed it off. Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture; Snape was so horrible to Harry (Holly was ignored or rarely spoken to). Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Sorcerer's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could -- yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.

The Potters knew when they wished them good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron, Hermione. Mad, Shannon, and Christian were wondering whether they'd ever see them alive again, especially Holly. This wasn't what you'd call comforting. Holly hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as she straightened her Quidditch robes and picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand.

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why they had brought their wands to the match. Little did the Potter twins know that Ron and Hermione had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Holly or Harry. Mad and Shannon had also brought along some paralysis and fainting potions.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.

"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Holly aside.

"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."

"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even -- blimey -- Dumbledore's come to watch!"

Holly’s heart did a somersault.

"Dumbledore?" she said, dashing to the door to make sure, Harry right behind her. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.

Holly could have laughed out loud with relief. She was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt them if Dumbledore was watching.

Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look -they're off Ouch!"

Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.

"Oh, sorry Weasley didn't see you there."

Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.

“Go away, Malfoy.” Shannon said.

"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on her broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

“How about we scommessa on how long it takes for you to caduta from this altitudine?”

Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione and Shannon, who had their fingers crossed in their laps, was squinting fixedly at Holly, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potters, who’ve got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money -- you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.

"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."

Mad and Christian nodded in agreement.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

“Knock it off, Malfoy.” Mad hissed.

Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry and Holly.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy -- one more word-”

"Ron! Mad!" said Hermione suddenly, " Holly--"

"What? Where?"

Holly had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Holly streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.

Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, and then clambered over the back of his seat to help. Mad and Christian jumping in.

"Come on, Holly!" Hermione and Shannon screamed, leaping onto their seats to watch as Holly sped straight at Snape -- they didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Mad, Christian, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something entirely scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches -- the next second, Holly had pulled out of the dive, her arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in her hand. Her hair had fallen out of her bun and out of her ponytail, again. Holly couldn’t stop laughing.

The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Holly’s won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.

Holly jumped off her broom, a foot from the ground. She couldn't believe it. She’d done it -- the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, she saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped -- then Holly felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face.

"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Holly could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror... been keeping busy... excellent..."

Snape spat bitterly on the ground. Holly was soon engulfed into a hug by Harry who was half on his broom and half down.

Holly left the locker room some time later, to take her Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. She couldn't ever remember feeling happier. She’d really done something to be proud of now -- no one could say she was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never smelled so sweet. They walked over the damp grass, Holly reliving the last hour in her head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift her onto their shoulders; Mad and Shannon tackling Holly in a hug; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed.

Holly had reached the shed. She leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. She’d done it, she’d shown the Slytherins and Snape....

And speaking of Snape...

A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Holly’s victory faded from her mind as she watched. She recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner -- what was going on?

Holly jumped back on her Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle she saw Snape enter the forest at a run. She followed, even though she was feeling extremely sick again.

The trees were so thick she couldn't see where Snape had gone. She flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until she heard voices. She glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.

She climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to her broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but she wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Holly couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Holly strained to catch what they were saying.

"... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..."

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all."

Holly leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.

"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I --"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you-”

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

An owl hooted loudly, and Holly nearly fell out of the tree. She steadied herself in time to hear Snape say, "-- your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't --"

"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Holly could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.

" Holly where have you been?" Hermione squeaked. Harry quickly pulled Holly to their little group.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Holly on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right, wouldn’t be if Mad and Christian hadn’t jumped - talk about showing Slytherin!”

“I missed a chance to beat up, Malfoy!?” Holly sulked.

“Those guys were debolucci. Mia sorella can hit harder.” Mad cheered, nursing her bruised cheek that was already healing.

“Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Holly breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room; you wait 'til you hear this...."

She made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, and then she told them what she'd seen and heard.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus-- I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through --"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.

“Siamo condannati.” Mad stated.

“Well, guess we’re gonna need to make a quick get away again. Christian start packing.” Shannon said. Christian actually started heading out to go pack. “I was just kidding, dummy.”

“We should go back to the common room,” Hermione said, looking at Holly’s face. She knew Holly was slowly breaking under the stress she was receiving from everywhere. Harry and Ron agreed and they started their journey to the Gryffindor common room; Christian, Mad, and Shannon following after.

However, Holly soon stopped causing the others to look at her. “What’s wrong?” Ron asked. “Are you alright, Holly?” Harry asked, looking at her hair which was slowly changing into a sickening green color. “I think I’m going to be sick,” Holly said, holding her stomach. “Do you want us to take you to Madam Pomfrey?” Hermione asked. “Oh no, it’s okay, you guys go ahead. I just need to go to the bathroom and then I’ll meet you guys in the common room.” Holly said and turned to walk away.

As Holly tried to find the nearest route to the girls’ bathroom, she changed her hair back into her normal color. However, as she was going, she saw Malfoy (who really had a black eye, thanks to Ron) and his gang walking through the hall, Holly didn’t have the time to deal with Malfoy so she tried to go past them quietly. But apparently Malfoy wouldn’t accept that.

“Oi, Potter,” Holly closed her eyes for a moment in annoyance, wishing she had disguised herself as someone else. “I don’t have time for this, Malfoy.” She said in a monotone voice. She opened her eyes and was about to continue walking but was pulled back by Malfoy who had grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?” Holly snarled, snatching back her arm.

“Nothing,” Malfoy smirked, looking up at her. Holly rolled her eyes, having enough of it.

“You know, Malfoy, if you weren’t such a complete jerk all the time then maybe we could’ve been friends. If you ever change that horrid attitude of yours then let’s try again. Regardless of the whole Slytherin and Gryffindor thing.” She said. Malfoy looked to be caught off guard by this, but quickly composed himself. She hurriedly went off to bathroom and didn’t bother saying anything else to Malfoy, she felt like she was going to throw up.

Holly splashed her face with cold water and dropped her head down, looking at the sink. She took in a deep breath and stretched, she felt better now. She straightened herself and decided to return before the others started worrying about her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own it the song. It is Make It Happen from Wizards of Waverly Place. I thought it would be a good song to start with. Remember to comment, subscribe, and kudos. More chapters to come~~~

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were hanging out in their common room. Hermione and Holly were nagging the boys to finish their remaining homework before the weekend was over. The girls had already finished their and now were making sure the boys did the same. After finding out about Snape being after the stone, they were trying anything to find out about what else might be guarding it besides Fluffy. Hermione thought that meant throwing themselves into their studies. The girls were once again explaining the uses of dragon’s blood to Harry and Ron when another Gryffindor said Holly had some visitors. As she opened the entrance to the common room she immediately pulled in by Shannon and Mad.

“We got great news, Holly!” Shannon said she hung off Holly’s shoulders.

“Notizie molto, molto buone!” Mad said.

“What’s going on? What news?” Holly asked as Harry, Hermione, and Ron came over.

“Dumbledore asked us to play one of our songs tonight at dinner!”

“What!?” The Gryffindors gasped.

“Sì Sì, we ran into and started parlare to him. I mentioned how we started a banda a few mesi ago....”

“And he said that he would love to hear one our songs! Then he asked us if we’d be okay with playing tonight!”

“And we said ‘YES’!!!” Mad finished. Holly whole body was frozen.

“Congrats, Holly! You worked so hard wrting your songs.” Hermione said to her friend, Holly sometimes asked her to fact check the songs or help her find a better word for a verse or rhyme.

“That’...that’s....” Holly stuttered.

“Sis,are you okay?” Harry asked, unable to tell how his sister was feeling.

“Has she lost it?” Ron said poking the frozen Holly’s cheek. Holly shook her head, snapping out of her stupor.

“Use your words, Holly.”

“That’s amazing!” Holly exclaimed in excitement. Her hair and eyes turning pink and puffy, like cotton candy. “What song are we going to sing? Make It Happen? Cast My Spell On You? Cloud 9?”

“It should be Cast My Spell On You!”

“No, it dovrebbe be Make It Happen!”

“Cloud 9, for our quidditch win!”

The girls started arguing about which song to do, until Hermione had enough and made them draw lots. The one with the shortest would be the one to choose the song. After they lots were handed out, the band hesitantly gripped each of their papers before finally revealing who got the shortest lot.

“YES!”

“Better start practicing for tonight.” Hermione reminded the girls as they ran out of the common room to go back to practice in Mad and Shannon’s dorm room.

“Right, right, Hermione. I’ll leave making sure Ron and Harry finish their homework to you.” Holly said giving her best friend and brother one last hug before dashing out to catch up with Mad and Shannon.

-Later-

The Great Hall was buzzing as usual with the conversations and interactions of the students, ghosts, and teachers. The ceiling shining bright reflecting the beautiful night sky. Student were buzzing about why there were drums and microphone set up in front of the teachers’ table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting with rest of the Gryffindors.

“When is Holly gonna show?” Ron asked looking around for the female Potter twin as he ate his potatoes.

“Dumbledore’s probably waiting for the right moment.” Harry answered also looking around.

“Hermione, you’ve heard them play they any good?”

“I don’t want to give anything away…” Hermione crossed her arms. “…but they are pretty good.”

Before Ron and Harry could pry more, Dumbledore rose from his seat. The hall falling silent, turning attention to the headmaster.

“Hello, students. It has come to my attention that a group of students have decided to form a band. As I fellow music lover I though it would be nice to listen to something as we dine.” Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling as he sat back down. Mad, Shannon, and Holly already in their places. Christian was at the side ready to record it. Holly swallowed the lump in her throat, going through the lyrics and song I  her head. She remember what Mad and Shannon had told earlier:

_“Just immaginare you are flying on your broom.”_

_“And don’t look down!”_

“Shannon, count us off.” Mad said gripping her guitar. Shannon giving them a thumbs up. Holly closed her eyes picturing herself flying on her broom.

_1 2 3 ! Uh, uh Ye-oww ! (Ice Ice) (Laugh) You won't know anything unless you try Might end up falling but you just might fly You know it's all about what you believe And maybe something extra up your sleeve_

Holly started moving to the music, getting smiles from Mad and Shannon. The students getting into the groove as well, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were smiling, swaying back and forth.

_Listen what I say Nothings getting in our way There's no fear that can stop us And no reason to delay Gonna give it all we got Yeah we ain't afraid to play So watch out for it, we're gonna Make it happen I won't be whining about what might've been You know I’m not too big on giving in (OK) I use whatever spell the law allows That is of course, if I knew how (And she does. Whoo!)_

Quiet cheers coming from the crowd as others pumped their fists in the air. Even some Slytherins seemed to be enjoying the song.

_Listen what I say Nothings getting in our way There's no fear that can stop us And no reason to delay_

Holly and Mad stood back to back smiling at the crowd.

_Gonna give it all we got Yeah we ain't afraid to play So watch out for it, we're gonna Make it happen_

_We're not afraid to fall Yeah we're going for it all There's a method to our madness Yeah we're answering the call If we used a little magic Well we really can't recall All I Know is that we're gonna Make it happen Ye-oww !_

Mad, Shannon, and Holly ended their song and looked at the crowd. The crowd erupted into loud applause and there were even got a few standing ovations from some of the houses’ students. Holly looked back to even see McGonagall clapping her hands and Dumbledore was smiling down at them. Dumbledore made their instruments vanish with a wave of his wand (“Don’t worry, I simply transported them back to your dorm room.”).

“Hey guys, Christian is taking a picture!” said Shannon as she pulled Mad and Holly into a tight embrace.

“Say ‘magic’.” said Christian, lining up the camera.

“Magic!”

After that, Mad and Holly left with Christian to see if he had recorded the performance correctly.

Holly went to sit with Hermione, Harry, and Ron stuffing her mouth just as the desserts appeared on the table. Ron gave her a pat on the back, Hermione kept saying how great the performance was, and Harry was handing more sweets to his hungry sister. Even Fred and George were singing and dancing to the song they just performed. After that performance all Holly wanted to do was fall into bed, though she couldn’t wait for their next performance that is if Dumbledore allowed it.


	22. Chapter 22

Quirrell must have been braver than they'd thought because in the weeks that followed he did seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it didn't look as though he'd cracked yet. Since Mad, Holly, and Shannon’s band performance their song had become popular. Shannon and Christian were selling everything from shirts to notebooks with the lyrics on them along with their usual house color products. Mad and Holly made they had gotten a cut of the profits. 

Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter. Holly however didn’t take anyone’s side; she was just as sceptic of Quirrell as she was of Snape. Considering that Holly was barely ever Snape’s victim, for a while she wondered if the others were driven out of hate they seemed to have for him.

Mad, Christian, and Shannon spying hadn’t turned up anything important. Only that whenever Quirrell was around so was Snape and vice versa. Mad and Christian had taken Harry and Ron’s side saying how Snape hexed her broom. Shannon was arguing that it was Quirrel, though her only defense was his horrible fashion sense (“Have you seen that unstylish turban of his. Anyone that horrible at accessorizing has to be evil.”), no one was taking her seriously.

Hermione, however, had more on her mind than the Sorcerer's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color-coding all her notes, encouraging Holly to do the same. Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That’s not aged, that’s like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me...."

“Calmarsi, Hermione.” Mad said.

“Yeah, don’t make yourself crazy.” Shannon added. “You don’t want to work yourself into hysterics.”

“Says the girl who creates dangerous potions and dissects things for fun.” Christian commented.

“Shut it, dummy! Don’t make me add Lyca onto my dissection list!? I do other things beside dissecting and potions making?! Also I choose to be hysterical cause it’s more fun that way.”

Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with her, trying to get through all their extra work. Holly ignored their groans and sit down nearby and concentrate on her own work. Christian, Shannon, and Mad had joined their study group, taking some of the pressure off Harry and Ron.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Holly looked out briefly before going back to her work.

 _‘We should have a picnic outside sometime.’_ Holly thought as she read through A Practical History of Magical Plants. Mad and Hermione were collecting the rest of the books they needed. Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher’s St --"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy --"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh --"

"See you later, then," said Harry.

Hagrid shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully. Holly looked at Hagrid walking away.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" She asked.

“Most likely.” Mad answered.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told us so the first time we ever met him," said Holly looking at the book.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kinds have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

“Oltre a their skin can resistere most spells so it difficile to take them down.”

“And the fact that their giant fire breathing killing machines that have been known to actually eat wizards. I mean, the fire breathing is cool and I once went wing walking on a dragon it wasn’t pretty. I would also love some organs for my potions and dissecting-” Shannon rattled on with stars in her eyes, only to be stopped by Mad putting a hand over her mouth.

"So what on earth is Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So -- yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at him.

"O' course I can’t,” he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It Was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

“Si, Si, only someone deeply trusted by Dumbledore sarebbe know the information.” Mad said stepping next to Hermione, understanding what Hermione was doing.

“Too true, Mad. I can only imagine how amazing and talented this person could be to know this info.” Shannon added, smiling pleasingly at Hagrid.

Hagrid's chest swelled at these words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione, Holly looked over at them, grinning and shaking her head.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout -- Professor Flitwick -- Professor McGonagall --" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell -- an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?"

"Yeah -- yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Harry knew Ron, Holly and Hermione were thinking the same as he was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything -- except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Holly muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling." And it was true; her face was all red. Mad and Shannon nodded, they were too polite to say anything.

"Can't, Holly, sorry," said Hagrid. Holly noticed him glance at the fire and looked at it, too.

"Hagrid -- what's that?"

But she already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's er..."

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

“Or when it starts breathing fire?”

“Or affamato?”

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin' , said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library -- Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit -- it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here -- how ter recognizes diff'rent eggs -- what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione and Mad didn't.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said.

“A very FLAMMABLE wooden casa.” Mad emphasized.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

“I’ll start working on some fireproof gloves…” Shannon said. “Size extra extra extra large.”

So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut. "Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, as evening after evening they struggled through all the extra homework they were getting. Hermione had now started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too and it was driving them nuts. Holly, Shannon, and Mad helped her, not having anything to do at the moment, but they had started up band practice again. Hermione served as a critic for their songs and was happy to fact check the lyrics.

Then, one breakfast time, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. He had written only two words:

_It’s hatching._

Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to the hut. Hermione wouldn't hear of it.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

"We've got lessons, we'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing --"

"Shut up!" Holly whispered.

Malfoy was only a few feet away and he had stopped dead to listen. How much had he heard? Holly didn't like the look on Malfoy's face at all.

Ron and Hermione argued all the way to Herbology (at which Holly could only laugh at) and in the end, Hermione agreed to run down to Hagrid's with the other three during morning break. When the bell sounded from the castle at the end of their lesson, the three of them dropped their trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted them, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered them inside.

The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

They all drew their chairs up to the table and watched with bated breath.

All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; Harry thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella while Holly found it majestic and adorable. Its spiny wings were huge compared to its skinny jet body; it had a long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, orange eyes.

It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.

“Can I be the daddy?” Holly asked with the same glint Hagrid had in his eyes.

"Hagrid," said Hermione, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face -- he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains -- it's a kid -- he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Holly bolted to the door and looked out. Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.

Malfoy had seen the dragon.

Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione very nervous. Mad, Christian, and Shannon didn’t have any ideas around it (that were legal). Holly was especially horrified and angered at this, that little prick had followed them. They spent most of their free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

“It’s for the migliore.” Mad added.

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

“Well we’re gonna die if he keeps growing~” warned Shannon, who was laughing out of nervousness.

They looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his game keeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor. Holly fondness for the dragon quickly dissipated after it set her cloak on fire.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered to Harry and Holly.

“Did he ever have them to begin with?” replied Shannon.

"Hagrid," said Holly loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

“Or Norbert will have enough of this shack and look for more snacks inside the castle.” Shannon said.

“A castle full of studenti and professori.” Mad said.

Hagrid bit his lip.

"I -- I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

“I got it!” Holly suddenly turned to Ron. “Charlie,” she said.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron. "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No -- Charlie -- your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?"

And in the end, Hagrid agreed that they could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Hermione, Holly and Harry sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed. The clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he said, showing them his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

There was a tap on the dark window.

"It's Heidi!" said Holly, hurrying to let her in. "Please have Charlie's answer!"

The four of them put their heads together to read the note.

_Dear Ron,_

_How are you? Thanks for the letter -- I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

_Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

_Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_Love,_

_Charlie_

They looked at one another.

"We've got the invisibility cloaks," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult -- I think the cloaks big enough to cover three of us and Norbert."

It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that the other three agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert -- and Malfoy.

There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey -- would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous.

Harry, Holly, Mad, Shannon, Christian and Hermione rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.

"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me -- I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me -I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

Harry, Mad, and Hermione tried to calm Ron down as Holly looked at the entrance of the hospital wing. One of these days, Malfoy is going to get a good punch from her.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," said Hermione, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no -- I've just remembered -- Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

Harry, Holly, and Hermione didn't get a chance to answer. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told Hermione and Holly. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloaks, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of Malfoy~” Shannon chimed, pulling out a shovel from her robes, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

“Shannon, no shovel!” screeched Holly and Hermione, not wanting to think about what she was going to do to Malfoy.

“Fine, we’ll try something else…Just get that fire breathing menace out of here before it eats someone. That thing has tasted human flesh and I’m not becoming dragon treat this year!”

They found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when they went to tell Hagrid, who opened a window to talk to them.

"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage -- nothin' I can't handle."

When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.

"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot -- jus' playin' -- he's only a baby, after all."

The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Shannon pulled Christian in front of her, just in case she needed a human shield. Holly, Harry and Hermione walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.

They would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if they hadn't been so worried about what they had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and they were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because they'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded to Holly as though the teddy was having his head torn off.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Holly, Harry and Hermione covered the crate with the invisibility cloaks and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!" Harry and Hermione shared one cloak with some of it over the crate while Holly shared more than half of hers on the crate.

How they managed to get the crate back up to the castle, they never knew, Holly just knew that she never wanted to do this ever again. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. UP another staircase, then another -- even one of Holly’s shortcuts didn't make the work much easier.

"Nearly there!" Holly panted as they reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.

Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.

Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you --"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry and Holly Potter are coming – they’ve got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on -- I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. Hermione did a sort of jig.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't," Harry advised her.

Chuckling about Malfoy, they waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a cheery lot. They showed Harry, Holly and Hermione the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Holly, Harry and Hermione shook hands with the others and thanked them very much.

At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.

“Finally, it’s over. Isn’t it great, Harry, Hermione. Harry? Hermione?” Holly stayed back to make sure that no one saw them, as planned and quickly went to join the other two but she couldn’t find them.

The other two had meanwhile slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragons -- Malfoy in detention -- what could spoil their happiness?

The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."

They'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower.


	23. Chapter 23

Things couldn't have been worse. Harry and Hermione had forgotten their cloak at the tower. Holly mind was racing on what had happened to them. Did McGonagall or Filch find them? Maybe they got safely back to the dorm without being caught……Not even Holly could believe that one. She was so busy thinking that she didn’t notice the figure creeping up behind her.

“Holly?”

Taken off guard Holly turned around throwing a punch at the person only to have her arm grabbed and twirled around. She was now pressed up against the person’s chest and her moth covered with a hand.

“Whatever, you do don’t urlo.” Holly recognized that voice and accent.

“Mad?” Holly said breaking free to turn to the vampire brunette. “What are you doing here?”

“Let’s just dire that a cordiale bat helped lead Professoressa McGonagall to Malfoy.” Mad and Holly high fived, but remembered about Harry and Hermione.

“Harry and Hermione are down there without the invisibility cloak!” Holly was panicking.

“I know; I been seguente you guys in case you needed some assistere. Now I need you to ascoltare to me, Filch has found Harry and Hermione.”

“What-”

“Shhhhh, Holly you have to be quiet. I avere to go back to my dormitorio, if you want to assistere them I have a progetto.” Mad began to whisper the plan into Holly’s ear.   

Meanwhile, Filch took Harry and Hermione down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. Hermione was trembling. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover- up stories chased each other around Harry's brain, each more feeble than the last. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of trouble this time. They were cornered. How could they have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.

Had Harry thought that things couldn't have been worse? He was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville. He was however glad Holly wasn’t caught and wondered where on earth she had ended up.

"Harry!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw the other two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, and he said you had a drag --"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

It was the first time Hermione had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. She was staring at her slippers, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

Harry caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, blundering Neville -- Harry knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions -- yes, you too, Mr Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous -- and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty?" Harry gasped -- they would lose the lead, the lead Holly had won in the last Quidditch match.

"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.

"Professor – please”

"You can't --"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

Suddenly Harry saw Holly come running in and shook his head before Professor McGonagall saw him do so, Holly seemed to have noticed what he meant and gave him a quick nod. “Miss Potter!” Professor McGonagall said, horrified. “Were you out of bed too?” She asked, now ever angrier. “What? No, professor,” Holly said, feigning ignorance. “Then what are you doing here?” She questioned. “I saw that Hermione was not in her bed and I thought something might’ve happened to her so I came to look for you,” Holly lied flawlessly, reciting what Mad had told her. Professor McGonagall looked at her skeptically for a while before nodding. Harry and Hermione took let out sighs of relief.

A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?

Harry didn't sleep all night. He could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. Harry couldn't think of anything to say to comfort him. He knew Neville, like himself, was dreading the dawn. Holly was hardly able to get a wink of sleep that night too, because Hermione kept sniffing and Holly ended up comforting her for the rest of the night. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what they'd done?

At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, had lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first years.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Everywhere Harry went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him, then they would get hexed by Holly for being mean to her brother. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"

Only Ron, Mad, Shannon, Christian and Holly (of course) stood by him.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them."

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.

"Well -- no," Ron admitted.

“Harry you were protezione Hagrid, I think that’s way better than a mucchio of stupido points. Besides you can still get them back.”

“Yeah, besides it could have been worse, I mean you only lost the chance for your house to win the house cup for the first time in like forever and pretty much guaranteeing another win for-” Shannon said, but had a hand slapped over her mouth.

“Shannon shut up!” Holly screeched as Harry face sunk more.

It was a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't his business from now on. He'd had it with sneaking around and spying. He felt so ashamed of himself that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.

"Resign?" Wood thundered. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"

But even Quidditch had lost its fun. The rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him "the third Chaser."

Hermione and Neville were suffering, too. They didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because they weren't as well-known, but nobody would speak to them, either. Hermione had stopped drawing attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working in silence.

Harry was almost glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying he had to do kept his mind off his misery. He, Ron, Holly, Mad, Christian, Shannon, and Hermione kept to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions....

Then, about a week before the exams were due to start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him was put to an unexpected test. Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice.

"No -- no -- not again, please --"

It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.

"All right -- all right --" he heard Quirrell sob.

Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Harry didn't think Quirrell had even noticed him. He waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, and then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway toward it before he remembered what he'd promised himself about not meddling.

All the same, he'd have gambled twelve Philosopher’s Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just heard, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step -- Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.

Harry went back to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy, Shannon and Mad were getting help on their Charms essay from Christian, and Holly looking through the Herbology book.  Harry told them what he'd heard.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell --"

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

“Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"

The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron and Shannon's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor -- who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore will think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

Hermione looked convinced, but Ron didn't. Holly just looked at them with a contemplative expression.

"If we just do a bit of poking around --" Ron started.

"No," said Harry flatly, "we've done enough poking around."

“But Harry it might-” Holly tried to reason.

“NO! We’re not losing any more points!” Harry snapped, taking his friends and twin off guard. He pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Holly, Hermione, and Neville at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall._

_Prof. M. McGonagall._

Holly didn’t understand why SHE had to attend that detention. However Harry and Hermione assured her that it wouldn’t be so bad, at least she didn’t end up having more points deducted. Harry had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furore over the points they'd lost. He half expected Hermione to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but she didn't say a word. Like Harry, she felt they deserved what they'd got.

At eleven o'clock that night, they said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there -- and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me.... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well-oiled in case they're ever needed.... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Holly wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, they could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

Harry’s heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. His relief must have showed in his -face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy -- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Neville let out a little moan, Holly glared at Filch as if to check if he’s finally lost or what and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night -- there's all sorts of things in there -- werewolves, I heard."

Neville clutched the sleeve of Holly’s robe and made a choking noise. Feeling bad that the reason he got detention was because of them she patted his head to calm him down.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Holly, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, “They're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. Holly stuck her tongue at him, as if.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest,” he said, and Harry was pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yehve got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd-”

“Tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or Yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on"

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze. Holly gave Malfoy a look.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

He led them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, Holly an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now -- that's it -- an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh -- so, be careful -- let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, Holly, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

Harry saw that Hagrid looked very worried.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

They walked past a mossy tree stump. Holly could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter -- GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry, Holly and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The four of them listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested. Holly made a face; something didn’t feel right to her.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

They walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself -- I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came -- was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Holly, Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Hermione Granger and Harry and Holly Potter, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you three. He's a centaur.”

"We'd noticed," said Hermione faintly. Holly couldn’t speak, centaurs were really so…

“Amazing…”

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm --"

"A bit," said Hermione timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt -- you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, and then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin', Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home, said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured -- would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

"We've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Holly, Harry and Hermione followed him out of the clearing, staring over their shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns -- never heard anythin' like it before."

They walked on through the dense, dark trees. Holly kept looking over her shoulder. She had the horrible feeling they were being watched. She was very glad they had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. They had just passed a bend in the path when Hermione grabbed Hagrid's arm.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

They heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until they couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around them.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" whispered Hermione.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place." Harry replied. Holly quietly looked around the place, looking for anything dangerous.

The minutes dragged by. Their ears seemed sharper than usual. Holly’s seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups -- Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry and Holly, you two go with Fang an' this idiot. I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to the Potter twins, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you and I think Holly can keep him in line, an' we've gotta get this done."

So Holly and Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. They walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. Malfoy kept grabbing her arm and she kept trying to pull it away. Harry got so annoyed at him that he gave him a nasty glare that made Malfoy back off, but still right behind Holly. Holly thought the blood seemed to be getting thicker. There were splashes on the roots of a tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. Holly could see a clearing ahead, through the tangled branches of an ancient oak.

"Look --" she murmured, holding out her arm to stop Harry and Malfoy.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. They inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. Holly had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves. She let out a deep sigh.

Holly had taken one step toward it, followed slightly with Harry, when a slithering sound made her freeze where she stood. A bush on the edge of the clearing quivered.... Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Holly, Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted -- so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at the Potter twins -- unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward them -- they couldn't move out of fear.

Then a pain like she'd never felt before pierced Holly’s left eye; it was as though her scar was on fire. Her eye felt like it was boiling out of her socket again. It seemed like it happened to Harry too, because he was also clutching his forehead. Half blinded, Holly staggered backward. For a second she could of sworn she saw blood on her hands. She heard hooves behind her, galloping, and something jumped clean over the Potter twins, charging at the figure.

The pain in Holly’s head was so bad she fell to her knees while Harry had to lean onto the nearest tree. It took a minute or two to pass. When she looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over her, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Holly to her feet.

"Yes -- thank you -- what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Holly, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Holly’s left eye just after she had pulled her hand off it.

"You are the Potter girl," he said, he looked behind her and saw Harry, his scar right on his forehead. "You two had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time -- especially for you two. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way.”

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Holly could clamber onto his back. Harry hesitated before following Holly and climbing on behind her.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have humans on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who they are?" said Firenze. "They are the Potters. The quicker they leave this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling them?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best,” he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that Holly had to grab his shoulders to stay on, Harry almost fell back and quickly grabbed Holly before he could.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

And Firenze whisked around; with Holly clutching on as best she could (as Harry also had to hold onto her, he seemed to have lost his voice), they plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.

Harry and Holly didn't have a clue what was going on.

"Why's Bane so angry?" she asked. "What was that thing you saved us from, anyway?"

Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry and Holly to keep their heads bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer Holly’s question. They made their way through the trees in silence for so long that Holly thought Firenze didn't want to talk to them anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Holly and Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"No," said Harry, startled by the odd question. "We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Holly stared at the back of Firenze's head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.

"But who'd be that desperate?" she wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, deaths better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else -- something that will bring you back to full strength and power -- something that will mean you can never die. Ms. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Philosopher’s Stone! Of course -- the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who --" Harry suddenly started.

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Holly’s heart. Over the rustling of the trees, she seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told them on the night they had met: “Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die."

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"

"Harry! Holly! Are you all right?"

Hermione was running toward them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.

"I'm fine," said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. "The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. "You are safe now."

Harry slid off his back.

“Thank you, Firenze.” Holly gave him a hug from behind catching the centaur off guard, before sliding off his back.

"Good luck, Holly and Harry Potter," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving the Potters shivering behind him.

Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry and Holly began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the forest.

Holly couldn't sit down. She paced up and down in front of the fire. She was still shaking and her scar had a faint itch.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich...."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Neither of the Potters was listening.

"Firenze saved us, but he shouldn't have done so.... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen.... They must show that Voldemort's coming back....” Harry said.

“That Bane prat thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill us! I suppose that's written in the bloody stars as well!" Holly barked, not liking that they would have let her and Harry be killed on account of star readings.

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

“Shut it, Ron!”

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish us off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

“We’ll see how happy he is when I get my hands on him!” Holly spat, she wasn’t afraid to fight a centaur.

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.

"Harry, Holly, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.

When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:

_Just in case._


	24. Chapter 24

In years to come, the Potters would certainly never quite remember how they had managed to get through their exams when they had half expected Voldemort or whatever is left of him to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet still the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and behind the locked door. However, Holly felt extremely paranoid and sick (both of which she hid). She had been edge since their adventure in the forest.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox -- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest. When he saw Holly, it seemed like her was even worse than his, whose scar had gone all red and purple, her left eye had hard time opening and there were bags under both her eyes due to sleepless nights, which Hermione thought, was due to a very bad case of anxiety about the exams, but the truth was that Holly kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.

Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what the Potter twins had seen in the forest or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads or eyes, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as the former two. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. However, Harry didn’t really seem to be getting any horrible nightmares, as far as Holly knew.

When Holly and Harry had told Mad, Christian, and Shannon they were shocked. So shocked that Shannon ended up dropping a freezing potion she was working on and froze her legs in ice. After thawing out Shannon’s legs the Slytherin trio rushed to spy on Snape. Mad commented that Holly should try and get more sleep, that she was acting delirious.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest. Except Holly and that was understandable due all the stress upon her.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree, Holly quickly leaning against it and closing her eyes, rubbing them. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. They were quickly joined by Mad, Christian, and Shannon.

“Yay! No more tests!” Shannon cheered as she leaned against Christian, who was in his giant Lyca form.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming...."

“Yeah,” Holly nodded, her eyes still closed and her face all red. She had a hard time seeing out of her left eye.

“What pericolo could it be avvertimento us about?” Mad questioned basking in the tree’s shade, fanning herself with a fan.

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

"Harry and Holly, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once; he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

“Yeah, if Snape has already found out the way to get past Fluffy the stone would be like totally gone already.” Shannon added, getting a bark from Christian in agreement.

Holly nodded along with Harry, opening her eyes, but she still couldn’t shake off the lurking feeling that there was something she’d forgotten to do, something that was important. When she tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Holly remembered her doing that. But still Holly was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though.

She watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent them letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but -- Holly suddenly jumped to her feet, feeling slight dizziness. "Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Holly. She had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

 _‘I hope I’m wrong.’_ Holly thought.

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up. Mad, Christian, and Shannon hurrying behind.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Holly, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Holly, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Holly cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something really important. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

He saw the seven of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head -- that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Holly sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here.... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks.... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home.... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he -- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Holly asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Well -- yeah -- how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep --"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified. Mad and Shannon face palmed, feeling bad that Hagrid was so gullible.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey -- where're yeh goin'?"

Holly, Harry, Ron, Mad, Shannon, Christian, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak -- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him. Holly felt so worried that her hair and eyes had started turning dark.

"We'll just have to --" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you seven doing inside? And Mr. Stevenson please get out of your canine form."

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought. Mad nudged Holly to quickly change her hair back into red before their Professor saw.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Harry swallowed -- now what?

"It's sort of secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time – “

"But this is important."

“REALLY IMPORTANTE.”

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter.”

"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor -- it's about the Philosopher’s stone --"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up. "How do you know --?" she spluttered. "Professor, we think – we know -- that Sn- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. We've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore." Holly blurted out, throwing caution to the wind.

She eyed her with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor --"

“Please listen --”

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. “I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But they didn't.

"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we --"

Hermione and Shannon gasped. Harry, Holly, Mad, Christian and Ron wheeled round.

Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

They stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were --" Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Harry flushed. They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter -- any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.

Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape -- wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, Shannon, and Christian, you'd better do that."

"Why me?" Hermione asked. Shannon and Christian nodding in agreement.

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried; I think I got question fourteen b wrong....'”

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape with Mad.

“Meanwhile, Mad try to contact Dumbledore. Go after him in your bat form.” Holly said to the Mad, before flying away.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron and Holly. "Come on."

But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed.

“Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you’ve come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!" Holly, Harry and Ron went back to the common room, Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione, Shannon, and Christian came in.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

“We couldn’t get close to him, either.” Shannon added, Christian and her sulking in defeat.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Holly said.

The other three stared at her. She was pale and her eyes were glittering, heavy bags under them. Whatever this was, needed to be stopped.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT" Holly shouted. "Don't you understand? If that person gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, Harry and I will have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find us there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?" She glared at them with her baggy eyes. Harry realized it too, because his face was stark clean of any expressions.

"You're right Holly," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use my invisibility cloak," said Holly.

"But will it cover all four of us?" said Ron.

"All -- all four of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books; there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

“Besides,” piped up Harry, “One may not hold all four of us, but Hermione and you can share yours and Ron and I can share mine, yes I did get it back,”

“Well you can count us out. We’re not going with you…” Shannon said sternly before breaking into a smirk. “Because you guys are gonna need someone to keep the teachers distracted while you’re busy.”

“We can keep them out of your fur. With us helping Snape won’t see you coming.” Christian added.

After dinner the four of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Holly sat a little away from her, trying to get herself together, her hands fumbling with the necklace. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.

Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloaks," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry and Holly ran upstairs and split to their respective dormitories. Holly quickly went to her bed and pulled out her cloak. Harry on the other side had gotten out his own cloak before his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He quickly pocketed it so he could use it later on Fluffy.

Both the Potter twins came running back down to the common room.

"We'd better put the cloaks on here, and make sure it covers all of us -- if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own --" "What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Holly did the same.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

Holly looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," said Neville, "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Holly, "this is important."

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

“I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll -- I'll fight you!"

"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot --"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. “I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Holly in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Harry turned to Hermione and Holly.

"Do something," he said desperately.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood. He would have fallen flat on his face if Holly hadn’t caught him.

Hermione ran over to him. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

“Hermione!?” Holly screamed as quietly as she could.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

“Sorry,” Holly said. “You’ll be glad after it’s all done,”

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as Holly and Hermione set him on the couch and pulled on the invisibility cloak. Holly and Hermione quickly pulled on the former's cloak.

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the couch didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp-like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen." Harry had a sudden idea.

"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake -- I didn't see you -- of course I didn't, you're invisible -- forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he scooted off.

"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron. Holly breathed out a sigh of relief.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor -- and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all four of them what was facing them. Holly turned to the other three.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," she said. "You can take the cloak; I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.

“They were my parents too, sis, and I won’t let you go in there alone,” said Harry.

Holly pushed the door open.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the song. It's Two By Two from Sofia the First. Please enjoy!~

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."

He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. He gave Holly desperate looks, urging her to sing. But Holly wasn’t sure it was going to work with her sour throat. However, Holly gave it a go anyway and just started singing the lyrics to song Holly had sung to Harry when they were little.

 _I'm your twin  
Y_ _ou're my twin_  
We stick together through thick and thin  
No matter what I do   
I'm always stuck with you

Slowly, the dog's growls ceased -- it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep. "Keep going," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloaks and crept toward the trapdoor. Hermione stared at Holly in wonder ‘Good job! Keep going!’ She mouthed to the latter. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Nothing -- just black -- there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

 _And if trouble comes our way_  
I know my twin will save the day   
Wherever you may be   
You're always stuck with me

Holly, who was still singing, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at herself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes." Holly slowly stopped singing and the three (except Harry who was still playing the flute) stopped breathing for a moment or two, looking at the dogs, wondering if the flute would keep them asleep. It certainly worked. Holly climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom. She lowered herself into the hole until she was barely hanging on by her fingertips. Then she looked up at Ron and Hermione, with Harry looking down at her too whilst still playing, and said, “If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Heidi to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron.

"See you in a minute, I hope...”

And Holly let go. Cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, down, down and -- FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump she landed on something soft. She sat up and felt around, her eyes not used to the dark. It felt as though she was sitting on some sort of plant.

"It's okay!" she called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Holly.

"What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione and Harry!"

The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but the other two had already jumped. She landed on Holly’s other side, with Harry right next to her.

"We must be miles under the school,” she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you three!"

Holly leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed; the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. Holly furrowed her eyes and looked at the plant closely before realizing just what this plant was and pulling out her wand. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

Hermione and Holly both managed to free themselves before the plant got a firm grip on them. Now Hermione watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them, while Holly on the other hand felt as if someone had hit her over the head with a frying pan.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is -- it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck. "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? -- It likes the dark and the damp, oh my god, Holly,” Hermione cried out. “Do you remember what do to send off Devil’s snare?!”

“Light! Hermione, use that fire spell!” Holly said, readying her wand to do the same.

Hermione, who had been clutching her head, reached out for her wand and screaming something incomprehensible and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Holly," said Harry as he joined her and Hermione by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Holly doesn't lose her head in a crisis."

“Not the right time, Ron” Holly commented, before putting an arm around Hermione. “Great job, Hermione.”

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. Holly felt the pain in her scar increase, leaving a horrible itch behind.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and the Potters were reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, Harry remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon -- Norbert had been bad enough...

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Holly listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead -- I can see something moving."

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run."

“No you won’t, I’ll go. I’m faster.” Holly said. After staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, Holly gave in and let Harry go.

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked.

The other three followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering -- glittering?

"They're not birds!" Holly said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys -- look carefully. So that must mean..." she looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes -- look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!"

Ron examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one -- probably silver, like the handle."

They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

Not for nothing, though, was Holly the youngest Seeker in a century. She had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, she noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.

"That one!" she called to the others. "That big one -- there -- no, there -- with bright blue wings -- the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

Ron went speeding in the direction that Holly was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.

"We've got to close in on it!" Holly called, not taking her eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above, Harry stay right there, don’t let it escape -- Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward and Harry tried to grab, but the key dodged them all, and Holly streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Holly leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron, Harry and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

They landed quickly, and Holly ran to the door, the key struggling in her hand. She rammed it into the lock and turned -- it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

"Ready?" Holly asked the other three, her hand on the door handle. They nodded and she pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron, Holly, and Hermione shivered slightly -- the towering white chessmen had no faces.

“Oh wow,” Holly whispered in amazement.

"Now what do we do?" Harry asked quietly.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we -- er -- have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other three.

"This needs thinking about …” he said. I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces...."

Harry, Holly and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally, he said, looking at the latter two. "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess --"

"Just tell us what to do." said Holly quickly.

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go there next to him instead of that castle. And Holly… you take that other bishop."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, two bishops, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Harry, Ron, Holly, and Hermione took.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes... look..."

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?

"Harry -- move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry, Holly and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him. Harry looked at Ron, shocked.

"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"NO!” Harry, Holly and Hermione shouted.

“Ron, may I remind you unlike the rest of the pieces you aren’t made of stone!” Holly tried to reason.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me -- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But --"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron --"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor - Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry’s feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry, Holly and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.

"What if he's --?"

"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself. "What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."

They had reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered.

"Go on."

Holly pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making all three of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next - but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Holly. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry and Holly looked over her shoulder to read it:

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, One among us seven will let you move ahead, Another will transport the drinker back instead, Two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide You will always find some on nettle wine's left side; Second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onward, neither is your friend; Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; Fourth, the second left and the second on the right Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.

"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic -- it's logic -- a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire -- toward the Stone." Holly looked at the tiny bottle.

"There's barely enough there for two of us," she said. "That's hardly two swallows."

The trio looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," said Holly. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying- key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy -- Hopefully Mad is back by now with Dumbledore. If not, go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig or Heidi to Dumbledore, we need him. Get Shannon and Christian’s help. We might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but we’re no match for him, really."

"But Holly -- what if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well -- We were lucky once, weren’t we?” said Harry, pointing at his scar. "We might get lucky again."

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and Holly and threw her arms around them.

"Hermione!"

"Harry, Holly -- you're a great witch and a wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of them.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things -- friendship and bravery…”

“Hermione, you’re all those things, too.” Holly said to her best friend.

“Oh you two -- be careful!"

"You drink first," said Holly. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" said Holly anxiously.

"No -- but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck -- take care."

"GO!"

Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.

Harry and Holly looked at each; the latter took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. She turned to face the black flames.

"Here I come," she said, and she took two small sips before handing it to Harry.

It was indeed as though ice was flooding her body. As Harry drained it whole, she braced herself, saw the black flames licking her body, but couldn't feel them -- for a moment she could see nothing but dark fire -- then she was on the other side, in the last chamber. Harry came through just a second later.

_There was already someone there -- but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort._


	26. Chapter 26

It was Quirrell.

"You!" gasped Harry. Holly couldn’t believe her eyes.

 Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potters."

"But I thought -- Snape --"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp.

"Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

 Neither of the Potters could take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.

 "But Snape tried to kill Holly!"

 "No, no, no. I tried to kill her. Your friends Miss Granger and Miss Leyba accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you."

 "Snape was trying to save me?" Holly was shocked, sure Shannon had suggested it but she still found it hard to believe.

 "Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really... he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular... and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry and Holly.

"You're too nosy to live, Potters. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"You let the troll in?"

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls -- you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off -- and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.

"Now, wait quietly, Potters. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

It was only then that they realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised. Holly’s heartbeat quickened.

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back...."

All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.

 "I saw you and Snape in the forest --" Holly blurted out.

 "Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side...."

 Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

 "I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?"

Holly struggled against the ropes binding her, but they didn't give. She had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

 "But Snape always seemed to hate us so much."

 "Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."

 "But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing -- I thought Snape was threatening you...."

 For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.

 "Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions -- he is a great wizard and I am weak --"

 "You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped. Holly stopped moving and looked at Quirrell in shock, this can’t be…

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it.... Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me...."

Quirrell's voice trailed away. Holly was remembering their first trip to Diagon Alley -how could she have been so stupid? She’d seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.

Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Holly’s mind was racing, she looked worriedly at Harry.

What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it -- which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?

She gave Harry a look and tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around her ankles were too tight: she tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored her. He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to the Potter twins’ horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the girl... Use the girl..."

Quirrell rounded on Holly, who tried to roll away from him.

"Yes -- Potter -- come here."

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Holly fell off. Holly got quickly to her feet. Harry watched her worriedly, jerking his head to convince her to run.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Holly walked slowly towards him, wanting to just crumble away rather than looking into the mirror again. Holly looked back at Harry, scared.

  _I have to lie_ , she thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.

Quirrell moved close behind her. Holly breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.

She saw her reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at her. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket -- and as it did so, Holly felt something heavy drop into her real pocket. Somehow -- incredibly -- she'd gotten the Stone.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Holly screwed up her courage, taking in a deep breath to calm herself down.

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," she invented. "I -- I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

Quirrell cursed again.

"Get out of the way," he said. As Holly moved aside, she felt the Sorcerer's Stone against her leg. Dare she make a break for it? What about Harry? Quirrell still had him all bound up. She reached out for her wand…

But Quirrell hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

"She lies... She lies..."

"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to her... face-to-face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... for this...."

Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. He looked at Holly briefly, whose face had gone white as a sheet and she stood there limply, just as horrified at him. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound, he however fell back in shock. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake. Holly almost fell back from shock and fear. It was even worse than she had ever imagine, and disgusting not to mention.

"Holly Potter..." it whispered. Harry somewhat glad it was not his name that came out of that thing’s mouth.

 Holly tried to run away but her legs wouldn't move.

 "See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds.... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own.... Now... why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Holly’s legs. She stumbled backward as Harry stared at her. She had the stone in her pocket? How?

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents.... They died begging me for mercy..."

"LIAR!" Holly and Harry shouted suddenly.

Quirrell was walking backward at her, so that Voldemort could still see her. The evil face was now smiling.

"How touching..." it hissed. “I always value bravery... Yes, your parents were brave.... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you.... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"NEVER!"

Holly sprang towards Harry to open his binds, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HER!" and the next second, Holly felt Quirrell's hand close on her wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Holly’s scar; it was so horrible that she felt like her neck might just snap in two; she yelled in pain, struggling with all of her might, and to her surprise, Quirrell let go of her. The pain in her head lessened slightly -- she looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers -- they were blistering before his eyes. Holly didn’t know how she did it but in just a second she had her wand out and threw off the ropes holding Harry. Her wand flew out of her hand and Holly cursed.

"Seize her! SEIZE HER!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Holly clean off her feet, both hands around her neck – Holly’s scar was almost blinding her with pain, yet she could see Quirrell howling in agony.

“Holly!” Harry yelled out in horror as he tried pulling off Quirrell from Holly with all his might.

"Master, I cannot hold her -- my hands -- my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Holly to the ground with his knees, let go of her neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms – the Potters could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill her, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Holly, by pure instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face --

"AAAARGH!"

Quirrell rolled off her, his face blistering, too, and then Holly knew: Quirrell couldn't touch her bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain -- her only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.

“Harry!” And Harry knew just what Holly meant.

Both of the Potters caught Quirrell by either arms, and hung on as tight as they could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw them off – the pain in Holly’s scar was growing horribly – and she couldn't see a thing – she could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL THEM! KILL THEM!" and other voices, maybe in Holly’s own head, crying, " Holly! Holly!"

Holly felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from her grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down ... down... down...


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got through Book 1! I'll have book 2 up soon! Anyhoodles~ I don't own the song. It's Legend of Everfree (Main Title) from the MLP: Legend of Everfree movie, though I did change the lyrics to fit the story. Hope you enjoy~

Holly blinked, trying to get used to the light. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above her.

"Good afternoon, Holly," said Dumbledore. Holly stared at him. Then she remembered: "Sir! The Stone!–Quirrell!–Turban!–Voldemort!–The Mirror!–Harry! Quick--"

"Calm yourself, dear girl, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."

"Then who does? Sir, I --"

"Holly, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out.”

Holly swallowed and looked around her. She realized she must be in the hospital wing. She was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you, Harry and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

"How long have I been in here?"

"Three days. Mr Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round; they have been extremely worried. As well as Miss Baker and Miss Leyba."

"But sir, the Stone-”

“I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say.”

"You got there? Mad got you?"

"We must have crossed in mid-air. Imagine my surprise to see a bat deliver a message to me. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you and Harry."

"It was you."

"I feared I might be too late."

"You nearly were; I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer --"

"Not the Stone, girl, you -- the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" said Holly blankly staring at Dumbledore. "But your friend -- Nicolas Flamel --"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."

Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Holly’s face.

"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all -- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them." Holly laid there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

"Sir?" said Holly. "I've been thinking... sir -- even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know- Who --"

"Call him Voldemort, Holly. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No, Holly, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Holly, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time -- and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Holly nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made her head hurt and cause her dizziness. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me... things I want to know the truth about...."

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing us. But why would he want to kill us in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.

"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day... put it from your mind for now, Holly. When you are older... I know you hate to hear this... when you are ready, you will know."

And even Holly knew it would be no good to argue.

"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

"Your mother died to save you and your brother. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Holly time to dry her eyes on the sheet. When she had found her voice again, Holly said, "And the invisibility cloaks - do you know who sent them to us?"

"Ah - your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."

"And there's something else..."

"Fire away."

"Quirrell said Snape --"

"Professor Snape, Holly." "Yes, him -- Quirrell said he hates us because he hated our father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?"

"Yes..." said Dumbledore dreamily. “Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt.... I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace...."

Holly tried to understand this but it made her head pound, then she it dawned on her.

“Sir…”

“Yes, dear?”

“Even if Snape was in my father’s debt, I still think he can’t be such a bad person.” Holly said, Dumbledore raised his brow. “I mean, if he was evil…I mean, truly evil…I don’t think he would have even tried to repay the debt.”

“Well said.”

"And sir, there's one more thing..."

"Just the one?"

"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone -- find it, but not use it -- would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes.... Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them -- but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"

Holly refrained from asking on how he knew what earwax tasted like. Instead she looked around the hospital but didn’t see Harry anywhere. Dumbledore seemed to be have noticed and smiled.

“Mr. Potter is with Mr. Weasley,Mr. Stevenson, Ms. Baker, Ms. Leyba and Ms. Granger, he wasn’t as injured and recovered quickly.”

Holly sighed in relief.

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.

"Just five minutes," Holly pleaded.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in..."

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..."

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let Ron, Harry and Hermione in.

"Holly!"

Hermione and Shannon looked ready to fling their arms around her again, but Holly was glad they held themselves in as it hurt when she moved and her neck was still very sore from where Quirrel grabbed her.

“Grazie a Merlin, sei al sicuro.” Mad said.

“Good to Sleeping Beauty’s awake!” Shannon commented. “Sad that I couldn’t kiss her awake though.”

"Oh, Holly, we were sure you were going to -- Dumbledore was so worried --"

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "Harry said he won’t tell us until you’re up,”

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumours. Holly and Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when the Potter twins told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Shannon screamed out loud.

“I told you so! I.TOLD.YOU.SO! Never trust the unfashionable ones!”

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that -- what was it? -- 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed.

“I don’t know about that. I find you never feel more alive than when you’re almost dead.” Shannon retorted.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.

"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round -- that took a while -- and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him and Mad in the entrance hall -- he already knew -- he just said, ‘Harry and Holly’s gone after him, haven’t they?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you two your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well,” Hermione exploded, "if he did -- I mean to say that's terrible -- you could have been killed."

“Child endangerment at least.” Shannon said.

"No, it isn't," said Holly thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give us a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could...."

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course -- you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you -- but the food will be good."

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.

"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.

“Oh, one more…” Mad quickly whispered something into Holly’s ear making a grin break out on her face.

After a good night's sleep, Holly felt nearly back to normal. She no longer felt sick, she didn’t know if it was because of Madam Pomfrey or that she had gotten rid of Voldemort (well at least out of Hogwarts).

“I want to go to the feast," she told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened her many candy boxes. “I can, can't I?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."

"Oh, good," said Holly. "Who is it?"

Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Holly, took one look at her, and burst into tears.

"It's -- all -- my -- ruddy -- fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. “I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

"Hagrid!" said Holly, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."

"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"

"VOLDEMORT!" Holly bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads...."

Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Holly anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. "Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead -- anyway, got yeh this..."

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Holly opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at her from every page were her mother and father.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos... knew yeh and Harry didn' have any... d'yeh like it?"

Holly couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood. After collecting herself she turned to Hagrid with a glint in her eyes.

“Hagrid, can I ask you something?”

“Don’t drop me.” Holly said jokingly from her spot on Hagrid’s shoulders. She had wanted to ask him for a ride since he came to get Harry and her. She thought now was as good a time as ever since the year was ending.

“Wouldn’ dream o’ it.”

Hagrid and Holly made their way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. They had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving her one last check-up, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Holly arrived there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. She had Hagrid set her down and slipped into a seat between Harry (who was next to Ron), Mad, Shannon, Christian and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at her. Holly fumbled with her necklace, looking down, letting her hair curtain her face. She didn’t want others staring at her, because of situations like this.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble and staring died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts....

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and eighty-two; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Holly pushed her hair back and looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table as if he had earned all the points. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...

"First -- to Mr Ronald Weasley..."

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with bad sunburn.

"...for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last there was silence again.

"Second -- to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Holly strongly suspected she had burst into tears and rubbed her back, smiling and rubbing her friend’s back. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves -- they were a hundred points up. "Third -- to Mr Harry Potter and Ms Holly Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet, “-- for pure nerve and outstanding courage; I award Gryffindor house ninety points."

The din was deafening. Fred and George had enveloped Holly in tight hug, so she was now sandwiched between them, trying to push them off and bonk them on the heads. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points -- exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup -- if only Dumbledore had given the Potter twins just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won as much as a point for Gryffindor before. Holly, still sandwiched between Fred and George, called Ron and Harry and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.

"Which means, Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward them hadn't changed one jot. This didn't worry Harry. Holly, finally free of the twins that were now rubbing their heads, smiled at Snape and waved at him. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore raised his hand to silence again. “Now I think it’s best to end this year with a song.” With another clap of his hands, a drum set, microphone, and electric guitar appeared at the front of the hall. Mad, Shannon, and Holly ran to front picking up respective instruments.

_Holly: Will you be lost by time or be part of history? Shannon: Will your story be told or remain a mystery? Mad: Will they sing your song, telling all that you have done? All: Time to make your choice, only you can be the one_

Shannon had charmed the instruments to produce sparkle when they played. Holly grabbed the mike and moved around the tables.

_Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery! (Hey!) Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery!_

_Hey! Hey! Hey!_

Holly grabbed Hermione off the table twirling her around, high fiving other housemates along the way.

_Will you do something great with the time that you have here?_

Fred ended up grabbing her free hand and spinning her too, and then he started dancing with George and Lee. The commotion got other houses doing the same.

_Will you make your mark? Will you conquer what you fear?_

 Holly ruffled Neville’s hair as Dean and Seamus hoisted her up onto the table.

_And when you go back home, everybody there will see You were part of the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery!_

One by one people got up to dance. Some sticking to their friend groups or even asking students from other houses to dance. There were still others that were too shy and decided to sit, but even they were moving to the music.

_Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery! (Hey!) Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery! (Hey!)_

_Will you find your greatest glory? Will you be a falling star? Here to learn what magic teaches Here to learn more about who you are_

Fred and George had decided to set off some their fireworks. The fireworks danced through the air, going between tables and near some students and teachers until they started to circle around Holly, Shannon, and Mad. To the audience Holly looked to be glowing and given off radiant red sparks, making her look like fiery spark that was about to ignite in a brilliant flare, with Mad and Shannon looking the same but with silver and green.

_Will you be lost by time or be part of history? Will your story be told or remain a mystery? And when you go back home, everybody there will see You were part of the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery!_

_Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery! (Hey!) Oh, oh, oh-oh-whoa As you join in the Legend of Hogwarts' Sorcery!_

_Hey!_

It was the best evening of Holly’s life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... she would never, ever forget tonight.

Harry, on the other hand, had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, he, Christian, and Ron passed with good marks; Mad, Shannon, Hermione and Holly, of course, had the best grades of the first years. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly); Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and Chocolate Frogs as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in threes and fours so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you -- I'll send you an owl."

“Here’s our phone numbers and addresses if you want to call us or owl us.” Mad, Shannon, and Christian said before they left their Gryffindor chums to go find their parents.

“Don’t be strangers!”

“Ciao che ragazzi!”

“Let’s meet up at Diagon Alley for back to school shopping!”

"Thanks," said Harry, "We'll need something to look forward to." People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

“Good bye, Holly!”

"See you, Potters!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at them.

"Not where we’re going, I promise you," said Holly.

Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There they are, Mom, there they are, look!"

It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Harry and Holly Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see –”

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."

Mrs Weasley smiled down at them.

"Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry.

"Thanks for the fudge and the sweaters, Mrs Weasley. They were delicious!" Holly thanked.

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?"

It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry and Holly, carrying owls in cages in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Holly and Harry.

"You must be Harry and Holly's family!" said Mrs Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, you two, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

The Potter twins hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.

"See you over the summer, then." Holly said.

"Hope you have -- er -- a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"Oh, we will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the mischievous grins that was spreading over his and his twin sister’s faces. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer...."

“Make that ‘We’re going to have a lot of fun.’” Holly corrected with a smirk.


	28. Bk 2: Ch1

Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew and niece’s room.

"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control those owls, they'll have to go!"

Holly rolled her eyes and was going to snap back but Harry stopped her and tried, yet again, to explain. Harry had pretty much gotten used to that. Especially after how Holly turned her hair into a fire like style and her eyes red when the three cousins were alone and it freaked Dudley so much that he didn’t come around her for a whole week (running away from the room when she came in), which Holly thought was great because she didn’t like seeing his face anyway.

"They’re bored," he said. "They’re used to flying around outside. If we could just let them out at night -"

"Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy moustache.

"I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."

He exchanged dark looks with his wife, Petunia.

Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys' son, Dudley. Holly rolled her eyes, thinking she could do better.

"I want more bacon." The voice called out of the huge mass that was their cousin Dudley.

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance .... I don't like the sound of that school food ......"

"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily."Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"

Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to Holly.

"Pass the frying pan."

"You've forgotten the magic word," said Holly irritably before Harry could stop her from saying anything.

The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs.Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr.Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples.

"I meant `please'!" said Holly quickly. "I didn't mean-"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE `M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"

"But I -"

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.

"I just -"

"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

Holly and Harry stared from their purple-faced uncle to their pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.

"All right," said Holly, "all right. . . "

Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Holly closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes. Harry gave Holly a look, but he knew that inside Holly was smirking.

Ever since the Potter twins had come home for the summer holidays, Uncle Vernon had been treating them like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because Harry and Holly Potter weren’t normal. As a matter of fact, they were as not normal as it is possible to be.

Harry and Holly Potter were a wizard and a witch -- fresh from their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have them back for the holidays, it was nothing to how the Potter twins felt.

Both of them missed Hogwarts so much that it felt like having a constant stomachache. Holly missed every single inch of Hogwarts, from its secret passageways to its ghosts, the class, the owls arriving with mails, eating banquets, sleeping in her four-poster bed in the dormitory she shared with her first friend that wasn’t a boy, visiting Hagrid in his cabin, and she also missed Quidditch, especially, the most popular sport in the whole wizarding world. She even started missing Christian’s horrible puns and jokes.

All of the Potter twins’ spell books, wands, robes, cauldrons, and Holly’s top-of-the-line Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant they had come home. What did the Dursleys care if Holly or Harry lost their place on the House Quidditch team because they hadn't practiced all summer? What was it to the Dursleys if they went back to school without any of their homework done? The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a wizard and a witch in the family was a matter of deepest shame. Uncle Vernon had even padlocked Harry and H Holly's owls, Hedwig and Heidi, inside their cages, to stop them from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world.

Neither Harry nor Holly looked anything like the rest of the family. Uncle Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous black moustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Harry, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. He wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar. And Holly thin and tall, with bright green eyes and dark red hair that went down her back. She had a pale skin and on her neck, just across her left eye was a scar that was just like her twin brother’s.

It was this scar that made the Potters so particularly unusual, even for a wizard or a witch. These scars were the only hint of Harry and Holly's very mysterious past, of the reason they had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.

At the age of one year old, Holly and Harry had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Their parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but the twins had escaped with their lightning scars, and somehow - nobody understood why Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Harry and Holly.

So the Potters had been brought up by their dead mother's sister and her husband. They had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why they kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that they had got their scar in the car crash that had killed their parents.

And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Holly and Harry, and the whole story had come out. They had taken up their place at wizard and witch school, where they and their scars were famous ... but now the school year was over, and they were back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly.

The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be the twins’ twelfth birthday. Of course, their hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given them a real present, let alone a cake - but to ignore it completely...

At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."

Harry looked up, hardly daring to believe it. Holly furrowed her eyebrows, looking up from her plate.

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career,” said Uncle Vernon.

Holly went back to her toast. Of course, she thought bitterly, Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party. He'd been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be -?"

"In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home." Holly made a face.

"Good, good. And Dudley?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

"They'll love him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.

"Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry and Holly. "And you?"

"We’ll be in our bedroom, making no noise and pretending we’re not there," said Harry and Holly tonelessly in unison.

"Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them -drinks. At eight- fifteen -"

"I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia.

"And, Dudley, you'll say -"

"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Aunt Petunia. Holly held back the urge to gag.

"And you?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to Holly and Harry.

"We’ll be in our room, making no noise and pretending we’re not there," said Holly and Harry dully.

"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"

"Vernon tells me you're a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason.... Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason......”

"Perfect. . . Dudley?"

"How about –we had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you."'

This was too much for Aunt Petunia, Holly and Harry. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son, while Harry and Holly ducked under the table so they wouldn't see them laughing.

"And you?"

The Potter twins fought to keep their faces straight as they emerged.

"We’ll be in our room, making no noise and pretending we’re not there," they said in unison.

"Too right, you will," said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "The Masons don't know anything about you two and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. We’ll be shopping for a holiday home in Majorca this time tomorrow.”

Harry couldn't feel too excited about this. He didn't think the Dursleys would like them any better in Majorca than they did on Privet Drive. "Right - I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And you," he snarled at Harry and Holly. "You two stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning." The twins left through the back door.

It was a brilliant, sunny day. They crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under their breaths: "Happy birthday to us ... happy birthday to us. . .” No cards, no presents, and they would be spending the evening pretending not to exist. Harry and Holly gazed miserably into the hedge. They had never felt so lonely. More than anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing Quidditch, Harry and Holly missed their best friends, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Madigan Baker, Shannon Leyba, and Christian Stevenson. They, however, didn't seem to be missing them at all. None of them had written to them all summer, even though Ron had said he was going to ask them to come and stay.

Countless times, Harry had been on the point of unlocking Hedwig's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn't worth the risk. Underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Harry hadn't told the Dursleys this; he knew it was only their terror that they might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking him and his sister in the cupboard under the stairs with their wands and broomstick. For the first couple of weeks back, Holly had enjoyed muttering nonsense words under her breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him. But the long silence from their friends had made the Potters feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal - and now their friends had forgotten their birthday.

What wouldn't they give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? She’d almost be glad of a sight of their archenemy, Draco Malfoy; just to be sure it hadn't all been a dream.... Holly wondered if she had given Hermione their address, she could’ve sent a letter by mail at least. She had exchanged addresses with Mad and Shannon, but she wasn’t sure if their letters could make it seeing as how Shannon was in the USA and Mad in Italy.

Not that their whole year at Hogwarts had been fun. At the very end of last term, the two Potters had come face-to-face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to regain power. They had managed to slip through Voldemort’s clutches for a second time, but this had been a narrow escape, and even now, weeks later, Holly kept waking up in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where Voldemort was now, remembering his horrifyingly livid face, and wide, mad eyes.

Holly suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench, she had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge - and the hedge was staring back. Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves.

Holly jumped to her feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn, startling Harry who didn’t expect her to do that.

"I know what day it is," sang Dudley, waddling towards them.

The huge eyes blinked and vanished.

"What?" said Holly, not taking her eyes off the spot where they had been. Harry curiously looked at the hedge but saw nothing.

"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to them.

"Well done," said Harry. "So you've finally learned the days of the week."

"Today's your birthday," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"

"Better not let your mum hear you talking about our school," said Holly coolly.

Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom.

"Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Holly.

Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.

"You c-can't - Dad told you you're not to do m-magic - he said he'll chuck you out of the house - and you haven't got anywhere else to go - you haven't got any friends to take you -"

"Jiggery pokery!" said Holly in a fierce voice. "Hocus pocus squiggly wiggly -"

"MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "MUUUUM! She’s doing you know what!"

Holly paid dearly for her moment of fun. As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew she hadn't really done magic, but she still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at her head with the soapy frying pan. Then she gave them work to do, with the promise they wouldn't eat again until they'd finished. Harry snickering followed Holly, who was muttering to herself furiously.

While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice cream, Harry and Holly cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench. The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of their necks. Holly knew she shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the very thing Holly and her brother had been thinking themselves... maybe they didn't have any friends at Hogwarts....

Wish they could see famous Holly and Harry Potter now, she thought savagely as she spread manure on the flower beds, her back aching, sweat running down her face.

It was half past seven, in the evening when at last, exhausted, she heard Aunt Petunia calling them.

"Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!"

Harry moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.

"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table. She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress.

Harry and Holly washed their hands and bolted down their pitiful supper. The moment they had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away their plates. "Upstairs! Hurry!" Holly looked at her aunt’s face and wondered if this woman was really their mother’s sister. And if she was, Holly wondered if their aunt had a little feeling for her dead sister and her children. But she shook her head and continued on her way.

As she passed the door to the living room, Holly caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. She had only just reached the upstairs landing, where Harry was standing, when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs. "Remember, - one sound -" The twins crossed to their bedroom on tiptoe, slipped inside, closed the door, and Harry turned to collapse on his bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.


	29. Bk 2: Ch2

The Potters managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. Harry had his over Holly’s mouth to muffle her. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Holly knew instantly that this was what had been watching them out of the garden hedge that morning. It was quiet as Holly stared at the creature in front of them, not believing her eyes.

As the three stared at each other, Harry heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Holly (who was blinking in disbelief) noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes.

"Er - hello," said Harry nervously. Holly pulled her brother’s hand off her mouth and pushing him behind her. Still analyzing if the creature was a threat or not and whether or not she should throw it out the window. 

"Harry and Holly Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice the twins were sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you... Such an honor it is . . . ."

"Thank you," said Holly, eyes narrowing in suspicion, not believing the creature was just here to meet them. Harry wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead he said, "Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.

"Oh - really?" said Harry. "Er - I don't want to be rude or anything, but - this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom."

Aunt Petunias high, false laugh sounded from the living room causing Holly to shake her head. The elf hung his head.

"Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Harry quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir ... it is difficult, sir ... Dobby wonders where to begin . . . ."

"Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed. Holly watched the house elf and her twin brother interact, ready to step in just in case.

To their horror, the elf burst into tears - very noisy tears.

"S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never ... never ever. . . "

Holly thought she heard the voices downstairs falter and motioned to Harry.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything -"

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf, alarming both of the Potters. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal-"

Harry and Holly while trying to say ‘Shh!’ and comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby to the bed, where the house elf sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry and Holly (who wondered what would’ve happened if Uncle Vernon came tumbling in their room) in an expression of watery adoration.

"You can't have met many decent wizards," said Harry, trying to cheer him up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Stop - what are you doing?!" Holly hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed - Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage. This seemed to distress Heidi too, because she started pecking the lock on her cage.

"Dobby had to punish himself, madam," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, madam . . . ."

"Your family?"

"The wizard family Dobby serves, sir... DOBBY'S is a house elf - bound to serve one house and one family forever......”

"Do they know you're here?" asked Holly curiously; she wondered what exactly he was doing here, especially after knowing just what kind of family he had.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, madam, no ... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, madam. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, madam -"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?" Holly questioned further as Harry peeked out of the door to see if anyone was there or not, coming to check the noise that probably went downstairs.

"Dobby doubts it, madam. Dobby always has to punish himself for something, madam. They let Dobby get on with it, madam. Sometimes they remind me to do extra punishments......”

"But why don't you leave? Escape?" Harry asked; now back to them, standing by Holly.

"A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will never set Dobby free ... Dobby will serve the family until he dies, sir . . . ."

Holly and Harry stared.

“You poor thing!” Holly said wrapping Dobby in a gentle embrace.

"And I thought we had it bad staying here for another four weeks," Harry said.

"This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't we?" Holly asked looking at the house elf in her arms.

Almost at once, Holly wished she hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude, clutching Holly’s shirt.

"Please," Harry whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here -"

"Harry and Holly Potter ask if they can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir and madam, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew......”

Harry, who was feeling distinctly hot in the face, said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish, I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she -"  
But he stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful. Holly stopped nodding too, when she saw Harry stop short in his sentence.

"I-Harry and Holly Potter are humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb- like eyes aglow. "Harry and Holly Potter speaks not of their triumph over He-Who- Must-Not-Be-Named -"

"Voldemort?" said Holly.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, madam! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry" said Holly quickly. "I know lots of people don't like it. My friend Ron -"

Holly stopped too, thinking the exact same thing that Harry was thinking before.

Dobby leaned toward Holly and Harry, his eyes wide as headlights.

“Dobby heard tell," He said hoarsely, "that Harry and Holly Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time just weeks ago ... that Harry and Holly Potter escaped yet again.”

Harry and Holly nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

“Ah, sir and madam," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry and Holly Potter are valiant and bold! They have braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry and Holly Potter, to warn them, even if they do have to shut his ears in the oven door later... Harry and Holly Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice. Holly placed Dobby back on the bed.

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But we’ve got to go back - term starts on September first. It's all that's keeping us going. You don't know what it's like here. We don't belong here. We belong in your world - at Hogwarts."

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry and Holly Potter must stay where they are safe. They are too great, too good, to lose. If Harry and Holly Potter go back to Hogwarts, they will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Holly in surprise, furrowing her eyebrows.

"There is a plot, Harry and Holly Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over.

"Dobby has known it for months. Harry and Holly Potter must not put themselves in peril. They are too important!"

"What terrible things?" said Harry at once, looking at Holly in wonder. "Who's plotting them?"  
Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

"All right!" cried Holly, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell us. I understand. But why are you warning us?" A sudden, unpleasant thought struck him. "Hang on - this hasn't got anything to do with Vol- - sorry - with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," she added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not -not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, madam-”

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Holly and Harry a hint. But both of the twins, however, were completely lost.

"He hasn't got a brother, has he?"

Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Holly. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing - you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, sir and madam. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, sir and madam," Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper "There are powers Dumbledore don’t ... power no decent wizard. . ."

And before Harry could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized Harry's desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with ear-splitting yelps. Holly’s eyes widened as she leapt to catch Dobby but he jumped out of her reach and kept hitting himself.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Harry, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!" Harry motioned Holly to grab Dobby.

"Quick! In the closet!" hissed Holly, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging herself onto her bed and Harry on the chair just as the door handle turned.

"What - the - devil - are - you - doing?" said Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Harry's. "You've just ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke .... One more sound and you both will wish you'd never been born!"

He stomped flat-footed from the room. Holly let out a deep sigh and relaxed while Harry, shaking, let Dobby out of the closet.

"See what it's like here?" he said. "See why I've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place we've got -well, I think we've got friends. "

"Friends who don't even write to Harry and Holly Potter?" said Dobby slyly.

"I expect they've just been - wait a minute," said Holly, frowning. "How do you know our friends haven't been writing to us?"

Dobby shuffled his feet.

"Harry and Holly Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best -”

"Have you been stopping our letters?" Harry asked, astonished.

"Dobby has them here, sir," said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Harry's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Holly looked over at the letters in the house elf’s hand and could make out Hermione’s neat writing, Ron’s untidy scrawl, Shannon’s girly calligraphy, Mad’s foreign handwriting, and even a scribble that looked like it was from Hagrid.

Dobby blinked anxiously up at them.

"Harry and Holly Potter mustn't be angry... Dobby hoped ... if Harry and Holly Potter thought their friends had forgotten them ... Harry and Holly Potter might not want to go back to school, sir and madam......”

Harry wasn't listening. He made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach. Holly followed suit.

"Harry and Holly Potter will have them, sir and madam, if they give Dobby their word that they will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, sir and madam, this is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, sir and madam!"

"No," said Holly angrily. "Give us our friends' letters!"

"Then Harry and Holly Potter leave Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly.

Before either Harry or Holly could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.

Mouth dry, stomach lurching, Harry sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. Holly followed right behind her, bare foot, her hair flying behind her. Holly jumped the last six steps, landing catlike on the hall carpet, looking around for Dobby. From the dining room she and Harry heard Uncle Vernon saying, ". . . tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear. . . "

Harry, in front of her, ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt his stomach disappear.

Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.

"No," croaked Harry. "Please ... they'll kill us ......” Holly came behind him and saw Dobby and her hair turned ghost white.

"Harry and Holly Potter must say they’re not going back to school-"

"Dobby ... please ...”

"Say it, sir -"

"We can't -"

Dobby gave them a tragic look.

"Then Dobby must do it, sir, for Harry and Holly Potter's own good."

The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.

There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Harry, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia’s pudding. Holly stood behind him, with her hands on her mouth in shock, hair a pale white color and looking like she was going to faint any moment.

At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just our nephew and niece - very disturbed meeting strangers upsets them, so we kept them upstairs) He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry and Holly that he would flay them to within an inch of their lives when the Masons had left, and handed the Potter twins mops. Holly’s hair was still white, which freaked the others out a little but Holly was too scared to even think anything about it. Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and Harry, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean with Holly.

Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal - if it hadn't been for the owl.

Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.

Harry stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support, Holly right behind him as Uncle Vernon advanced on them, a demonic glint in his tiny eyes.

"Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on - read it!"

Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.

_ Dear Mr. and Ms Potter, _

_ We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine. _

_ As you know, underage wizards and witches are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spell work on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C). _

_ We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy. _

__Enjoy your holidays! Yours sincerely,  
Mafalda Hopkirk  
IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE  
Ministry of Magic

Harry looked up from the letter and gulped. Holly’s hair flashed a nervous yellow, causing Dudley to scream in terror and ran out of the room.

"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it .... Slipped your mind, I daresay.....”

He was bearing down on Holly and Harry like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you.... I'm locking you two up.... You're never going back to that school... never... and if you try and magic yourself out - they'll expel you!"

And laughing like a maniac, he dragged Harry and his twin sister back upstairs.

Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. The following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Holly and Harry's window. He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Harry and Holly out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise, they were locked in their room around the clock. Holly’s hair hadn’t changed back to her normal color all night.

Three days later, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and neither of the Potters could see any way out of this situation. On the first day, Holly would scream, bang on the walls, and threaten to be let out, but her protests quickly died out after a painful beating from Uncle Vernon. She was thankful that she was a fast healer, so Harry wouldn’t worry about her. She was the older sibling so she should be worrying about Harry, not the other way around. 

As Harry lay on his bed, Holly sat near the window, watching the sun slowly sink behind the bars on the window and wondered, miserably, about what was going to happen to them.  

What was the good of magic if they couldn’t get themselves out of the room and if they did, Hogwarts would expel them for doing it? Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low.

Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, they had lost their only weapon. Dobby might have saved them from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, they'd probably starve to death anyway.

The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunia’s hand appeared, pushing two bowls of canned soup into the room. Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone-cold, but he drank half of it in one gulp. Then he crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray. She ruffled her feathers and gave him a look of deep disgust. Holly, on the other hand, dragged herself to her bowl and picked it up, looked at for a moment as her hair turned an even deeper green color and took a little sip of it and, followed Harry’s footsteps, gave the some of it to her owl, who hooted, annoyed.

"It's no good turning your beak up at it - that's all we've got," said Harry grimly.

“Here you can have the rest, Harry. I’m not hungry.” Holly lied, she was starving but Harry’s hunger was more important than hers right now.

He put the empty bowls back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even hungrier than he had been before the soup. Holly had gone back to the desk and leaned back, closing her eyes. Now she was pretty sure that this woman was NOT their aunt. It can’t be.

Supposing they were still alive in another four weeks, what would happen if they didn't turn up at Hogwarts? Would someone be sent to see why they hadn't come back? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let them go?

The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Harry fell into an uneasy sleep. Holly looked over and saw him asleep and went to her own bed and flopped across it, limply. The hunger had finally gotten to her. It was horrible.

Harry dreamed that they were on show in a zoo, with a card reading UNDERAGE WIZARD AND WITCH attached to their cage. People goggled through the bars at them as they lay, starving and weak, on beds of straw. He saw Dobby's face in the crowd and shouted out, asking for help, but Dobby called, "Harry and Holly Potter are safe there, sir!" and vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage, laughing at them.

"Stop it," Harry muttered as the rattling pounded in his sore head. "Leave me alone ... cut it out ... I'm trying to sleep . . . ."

He opened his eyes. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone was goggling through the bars at him: a freckle- faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone.

_ Ron Weasley was outside their window. _


	30. Bk 2: Ch3

“Ron!" breathed Harry, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars. "Ron, how did you - What the -?"

Harry's mouth fell open as the full impact of what he was seeing hit him. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in mid-air Grinning at Harry from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers.

"All right, Harry?" asked George, looking around. “Where’s Holly?”

"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you two been answering my letters? I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and said you both had gotten an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles -"

"It wasn't us - and how did he know?"

"He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school -"

"You should talk," said Harry, staring at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with -"

"I told you, I didn't - but it'll take too long to explain now look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked us up and won't let us come back, and obviously we can't magic ourselves out, because the Ministry will think that's the second spell we’ve done in three days, so -"

"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've come to take you and Holly home with us."

"But you can't magic me out either -"

"We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."

"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Harry.

"If the Dursleys wake up, we’re dead," said Harry as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back."                                       

“I’ll go wake Holly up,”

Harry moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized how important this was and kept still and silent. He looked over at Holly and saw she was still asleep and quickly shook her.

“…more…chocolate…” Holly rolled over. 

“C’mon sis, wake up.” Harry shook her again. She stayed down for a second before sitting up. 

“HUH? WHA-Zizzit? Whyzzit still night?” She pushed her messy and tangled hair back and saw just what was happening and her eyes widened, she looked at Harry and was replied with a “Ron and his brothers, they’re here to save us!” in the form of a whisper. 

The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Holly leapt of the bed and quickly followed Harry. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. Harry went to the door and listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursleys' bedroom.

When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to Harry and Holly’s window.

"Get in," Ron said.

"But all our Hogwarts stuff - our wands – my broomstick -" Holly looked back at Harry.

"Where are they?"

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and we can't get out of this room -"

"No problem," said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Holly."

Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into the Potters’ room. _You had to hand it to them,_  thought Harry, who stood near the door, as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock. Holly came over and stared at them.

"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."

“Have I mentioned how glad I am that we’re friends?” said Holly, smiling at them.

There was a small click and the door swung open. 

“You could stand to mention it more.” Fred said in his usual fun-loving tone.

"So - we'll get your trunks - you grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron," whispered George.

"Watch out for the bottom stair - it creaks," Holly whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.

Harry dashed around his room, collecting his things and passing them out of the window to Ron. Holly, however, had all her stuff at one place and quickly handed them to Ron. Then the twins went to help Fred and George heave their trunks up the stairs. As Holly helped Fred with her trunk, she heard Uncle Vernon cough and froze for a moment. “Come on,” George whispered.

At last, panting, the four of them reached the landing, and then carried the trunks through Holly and Harry’s room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and Harry, Holly and George pushed from the bedroom side. The first one was easy but Holly’s trunk was heavier. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window.

Uncle Vernon coughed again. Holly looked back as she kept pushing and tried to turn her hair back to normal and somewhat managed to turn white in nervousness.

"A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from inside the car. "One good push -"

Holly, Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car.

"Okay, let's go," George whispered, climbing onto the car.

But as Harry climbed onto the windowsill there came a sudden loud screech from behind him, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!"

Harry and Holly tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on and snatched up their owls’ cages, dashed to the window, and passed them out to Ron. Holly pushed Harry forward to get on first, and he did, with the former scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door and it crashed open.

For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Holly, grabbing her by the ankle. Harry almost let out a scream.

Ron, Harry, Fred, and George seized Holly's arms and pulled as hard as they could.

"Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "They’re getting away! THEY’RE GETTING AWAY!"

“LET HER GO!” Harry shouted at their uncle.

He and the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Holly's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp - Holly was in the car - she'd slammed the door shut

"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron and the car shot suddenly toward the moon.

Harry couldn't believe it - he was free. He rolled down the window, the night air whipping his hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all hanging, dumbstruck, out of the twins’ window. Holly fumbled around for a pony and quickly tied her hair back.

"See you next summer!" Harry yelled.

“Sorry about he window!” Holly screamed, not sorry in the least.

The Weasleys roared with laughter and Harry settled back in his seat, grinning from ear to ear, while Holly smiled as hugely as she could, adrenaline still pumping.

“My hero!” Holly said giving Ron a bone crushing hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

“Hey, what are we? Chopped liver?” George said from the front of the car.

“Yeah, we helped too. Right, Forge?”

“Yes, we did quite a lot in fact. But we don’t get a hug, Gred.”

“No pat on the back.”

“No slap on the bum.”

“No-” 

The rest of the twins rant was cut off by Holly planting a kiss on each of the twin’s cheek. Fred and George were now as red as their hair.

“There you go. Happy now, my oh-so-humble heroes?” Holly said. The twins replied with nods as they remained dumbstruck.

"Let Hedwig and Heidi out," Harry told Ron. "They can fly behind us. They hadn't had a chance to stretch their wings for ages." Holly nodded.

George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Heidi and Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like ghosts.

"So - what's the story?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?"

Harry told them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given them and the fiasco of the violet pudding. There was a long, shocked silence when he had finished. Holly had moved to the window and had been looking outside, not really wanting to talk much as she played with her necklace, to keep herself busy.

"Very fishy," said Fred finally.

"Definitely dodgy" agreed George. "So he wouldn't even tell you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?"

"I don't think he could," said Harry. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip; he started banging his head against the wall."

He saw Fred and George look at each other.

"What, you think he was lying to us?" said Harry. Holly looked over at them for a moment before looking down at her hands.

"Well," said Fred, "put it this way - house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you two?"

"Yes," said Harry and Ron together, instantly.

"Draco Malfoy," Harry explained. "He hates us, especially Holly." Harry and Ron nodded, looking at Holly, who also looked up at the sudden mention of her name.

"Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning around. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"

"Must be, it's not a very common name, is it?" said Harry.

"I've heard Dad talking about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," said Fred, craning around to look at Harry and Holly, "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung - Dad reckons he was right in You- Know-Who's inner circle."

Harry had heard these rumors about Malfoy's family before, and they didn't surprise him at all. Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful, and sensitive boy.

"I don't know whether the Malfoy’s own a house-elf” said Harry.

"Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred.

"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George. "But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house . . . ."

Harry was silent. Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family was rolling in wizard gold; he could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house. Sending the family servant to stop Harry and his sister from going back to Hogwarts also sounded exactly like the sort of thing Malfoy would do. Had they been stupid to take Dobby seriously?

"I'm glad we came to get you, anyway," said Ron. "I was getting really worried when you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first-"

"Who's Errol?"

"Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow Hermes -"

"Who?"

"The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," said Fred from the front.  
"But Percy wouldn't lend him to me," said Ron. "Said he needed him."

"Percy's been acting very oddly this summer," said George, frowning. "And he has been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room .... I mean, there are only so many times you can polish a prefect badge.... You're driving too far west, Fred," he added, pointing at a compass on the dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel.

"So, does your dad know you've got the car?" said Holly suddenly, even though she was pretty sure with the answer.

"Er, no," said Ron, "He had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it."

"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?" Harry asked.

"He works in the most boring department," said Ron. "The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

"The what?"

"It's all to do with bewitching things that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare - Dad was working overtime for weeks."

"What happened?"

"The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic - it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office -and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up -"

"But your dad - this car -"

Fred laughed. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."

"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes .... Just as well, it's getting light . . . ."

A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east.

Fred brought the car lower, and Holly saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees. It was pretty.

"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole."

Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees.

"Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Holly looked out of the window for the first time at Ron's house.


	31. Bk 2: Ch4

It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic, which it probably was, thought Holly. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," said Ron.

"It's wonderful," said Harry happily, thinking of Privet Drive. Holly nodded, smiling hugely, her face hurting slightly.

They got out of the car.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast, then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, `Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and Holly and no one need ever know we flew the car."

“Do you really believe she’ll buy that story?” asked Holly.

“Do you have a better idea?”

“……Fair enough.”

"Quiet," said Ron. "Come on, Harry, Holly, I sleep at the - at the top –”

Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other four wheeled around.

Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger.

"Ah," said Fred.

"Oh, dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket.

"So," she said.

"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice. Holly looked over at him, feeling too guilty and embarrassed to look at Mrs. Weasley.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to -"

All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.

"Beds empty! No note! Car gone - could have crashed - out of my mind with worry - did you care-- never, as long as I've lived - you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy -"

"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have died, you could have been seen, you could have lost your father his job -"

It seemed to go on for hours. Holly had started leaning against George, her fatigue getting to her; Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry and his sister, who both backed away, with the former almost falling down.

"I'm very pleased to see you, Harry and Holly, dears," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast."

She turned and walked back into the house and the Potter twins, after a nervous glance at Ron, who nodded encouragingly, followed her.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle, Holly came in, looking all over the place as she slowly sat herself down. This was her first in a wizard house.

The clock on the wall opposite her and Harry had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like Time to make tea, Time to feed the chickens, and you’re late. Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking, and One Minute Feasts - It's Magic! And unless her ears were deceiving her, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."

Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know what you were thinking of," and "never would have believed it."

"I don't blame you, dears," she assured Harry and Holly, tipping eight or nine sausages onto their plates. Holly quickly began to stuff her mouth; getting warnings from Harry to not choke. "Arthur and I have been worried about you two, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to their plates) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country - anyone could have seen you -"

She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.

"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"They were starving them, Mum!" said George. “Look!” He pointed at Holly and Harry’s baggy clothes and hair that seemed much thinner and sickly than last year.

"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting the Potters some bread and buttering it for them.

At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.

"Ginny," said Ron in an undertone to Harry and Holly. "My sister. She's been talking about you all summer."

"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Nothing more was said until all five plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time.

"Blimey, I'm tired," yawned George, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and -"

"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again -"

"Oh, Mum -"

"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You can go up to bed, dears," she added to the Potter twins. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car -"

But Harry, who felt wide awake, looked at Holly and said quickly, "We’ll help Ron. We’ve never seen a de-gnoming -"

"That's very sweet of you, dears, but its dull work," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject -"

And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at it. George groaned.

"Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden -"

Holly looked at the cover of Mrs. Weasley's book. Written across it in fancy gold letters was the words Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests. There was a big photograph on the front of a very good looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. As always in the wizarding world, the photograph was moving; the wizard, who Holly supposed was Gilderoy Lockhart, kept winking cheekily up at them all. Mrs. Weasley beamed down at him. Holly, who almost could feel the ego and pride of the man overflowing the moving picture, made a face.

"Oh, he is marvelous," she said. "He knows his household pests, all right; it's a wonderful book . . . ."

"Mum fancies him," said Fred, in a very audible whisper.

"Don't be so ridiculous, Fred," said Mrs. Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. Holly grinned slightly finding the girl adorable. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."

Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Harry and Holly behind them. The garden was pretty large, Holly thought, exactly what a garden should be like. However, the Dursleys wouldn’t have liked it considering there were plenty of weeds and the grass needed a lot of cutting but there were gnarled trees all around the walls, with plants Holly had never seen before spilling from every flower bed, and a big green pond that was full of frogs (which Holly went to check out and almost slipped but George grabbed her arm and pulled her back, causing others to laugh). Holly turned red and punched the boys in their shoulders with a ‘Don’t make me throw a frog at you!’

"Muggles have garden gnomes, too, you know," Harry told Ron as they crossed the lawn.

"Yeah, I've seen those things they think are gnomes," said Ron, bent double with his head in a peony bush, "like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods . . . ."

There was a violent scuffling noise, the peony bush shuddered, and Ron straightened up. "This is a gnome," he said grimly.

"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" squealed the gnome. Holly stared at the gnome in intrigue.

It was certainly nothing like Santa Claus. It was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby, bald head exactly like a potato. Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked out at him with its horny little feet; he grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down.  Holly watched Ron in wonder and almost squealed when she saw what Ron did next.

"This is what you have to do," he said. He raised the gnome above his head ("Gerroff me!") and started to swing it in great circles like a lasso. Seeing the shocked look on both the Potters’ faces, Ron added, "It doesn't hurt them - you've just got to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnome holes."

He let go of the gnome's ankles: It flew twenty feet into the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.

"Pitiful," said Fred. "I bet I can get mine beyond that stump."

Harry learned quickly not to feel too sorry for the gnomes. He decided just to drop the first one he caught over the hedge, but the gnome, sensing weakness, sank its razor-sharp teeth into Harry's finger and he had a hard job shaking it off – until

"Wow, Harry - that must've been fifty feet......”

The air was soon thick with flying gnomes. Holly however was a little hesitant at first, not really wanting to throw a living creature at all but, one came up to her and she poked it with her foot. Just like with her brother the gnome sank its teeth into her leg. Holly didn’t like that one bit.

“Nice kick, Holly! That one got really far!”

"See, they're not too bright," said George, seizing five or six gnomes at once. "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learned by now just to stay put."

Soon, the crowd of gnomes in the field started walking away in a straggling line, their little shoulders hunched.

"They'll be back," said Ron as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. "They love it here .... Dad's too soft with them; he thinks they're funny . . . ."

Just then, the front door slammed.

"He's back!" said George. "Dad's home!"

They hurried through the garden and back into the house.

Mr. Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes, which were dusty and travel-worn.

"What a night," he mumbled, groping for the teapot as they all sat down around him. "Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when I had my back turned......”

Mr. Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.

"Find anything, Dad?" said Fred eagerly.

"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," yawned Mr. Weasley. "There was some pretty nasty stuff that wasn't my department, though. Mort Lake was taken away for questioning about some extremely odd ferrets, but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness......”

"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" said George.

"Just Muggle-baiting," sighed Mr. Weasley. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it .... Of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit their key keeps shrinking - they'll insist they just keep losing it. Bless them; they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even if it's staring them in the face.... But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe -"

"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?"

Mrs. Weasley had appeared, holding a long poker like a sword. Mr. Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at his wife.

"C-cars, Molly, dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars," said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes flashing. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while really he was enchanting it to make it fly."

Mr. Weasley blinked.

"Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to do that, even if - er - he maybe would have done better to, um, tell his wife the truth .... There's a loophole in the law, you'll find.... As long as he wasn't intending to fly the car, the fact that the car could fly wouldn't -"

"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Harry and Holly arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"

"Harry and Holly?" said Mr. Weasley blankly. "Harry and Holly who?"

He looked around, saw Holly and Harry, and jumped.

"Good lord, is it Harry and Holly Potter? Very pleased to meet you, Ron's told us so much about -"

"Your sons flew that car to Harry and Holly’s house and back last night." shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"

"Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Did it go all right? I - I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs. Weasley's eyes, "that - that was very wrong, boys - very wrong indeed......”

"Let's leave them to it," Ron muttered to the Potter twins as Mrs. Weasley swelled like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you my bedroom."

They slipped out of the kitchen and down a narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which wound its way, zigzagging up through the house. On the third landing, a door stood ajar. Harry just caught sight of a pair of bright brown eyes staring at them before it closed with a snap.

"Ginny," said Ron. "You don't know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts up normally -"

They climbed two more flights until they reached a door with peeling paint and a small plaque on it, saying RONALD'S ROOM.

Harry stepped in first, his head almost touching the sloping ceiling, and blinked. It was like walking into a furnace: Nearly everything in Ron's room seemed to be a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, even the ceiling. Then Harry realized that Ron had covered nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically. Holly came in next and almost felt herself go blind with all the orange.

"Your Quidditch team?" said Harry, Holly seemed to have noticed all the posters too.

"The Chudley Cannons," said Ron, pointing at the orange bedspread, which was emblazoned with two giant black C's and a speeding cannonball. "Ninth in the league."

Ron's school spell books were stacked untidily in a corner, next to a pile of comics that all seemed to feature The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle. Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to his fat grey rat, Scabbers, who was snoozing in a patch of sun. Holly looked through one of the comics and furrowed her eyebrows.

Harry stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window. In the field far below he could see a gang of gnomes sneaking one by one back through the Weasleys' hedge. Holly walked around, stacking Ron’s books properly as she went. She stared at Scabbers for a moment and shook her head before looking back at the other two. Ron stood nearby, watching the two Potters, almost nervously, as though waiting for their opinions.

"It's a bit small," said Ron quickly. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he's always banging on the pipes and groaning......”

But Harry and Holly looked at each other, grinning widely, said, and “This is the best house we’ve ever been in." Ron's ears went pink.


	32. Bk 2: Ch5

Life at the Burrow was as different as possible from life on Privet Drive. The Dursleys liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. And Holly loved everything about it. Harry got a shock the first time he looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!" This had caused Holly to double over in laughter and receive a look from Harry. The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal. What the Potters found the most unusual about the life at Ron’s home was, however, neither the talking mirror nor the clanking ghoul, it was the fact that everybody there seemed to like them.  

Mrs. Weasley fussed over the state of Harry’s socks and tried to force him to eat fourth helpings at every meal, she made Holly sit and help her comb the tangles out of her long red hair (Often helped by a bashful Ginny) and made sure she had at least a dozen glasses of water. Mr. Weasley liked Harry and Holly to sit next to him at the dinner table so that he could bombard them with questions about life with Muggles, asking them to explain how things like plugs and the postal service worked. It seemed like Mr. Weasley was just as fascinated with the Muggles as she and her brother were with magic.

"Fascinating." he would say as the Potter twins talked him through using a telephone.

"Ingenious, really, how many ways Muggles have found of getting along without magic."

Holly and Harry heard from Hogwarts on one sunny morning, about a week after they had arrived at the Burrow. Holly (who shared the room with Ginny), Harry and Ron went down to breakfast to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny already sitting at the kitchen table. Even though Ginny was pretty used to Holly, often having late night talks that were silenced by Mrs. Weasley knocking on the door to tell them that its past their bed time, the moment she saw Harry, she accidently knocked her porridge bowl to the floor with a loud clatter. Ginny seemed very prone to knocking things over whenever Harry entered a room. She dove under the table to retrieve the bowl and emerged with her face glowing like the setting sun. Pretending he hadn't noticed this, Harry sat down and took the toast Mrs. Weasley offered him, Holly sat down across him, smiling at Ginny. Thinking the girl was so cute acting like that.

"Letters from school," said Mr. Weasley, passing Harry, Holly and Ron identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Harry and Holly - doesn't miss a trick, that man. You two have got them, too," he added, as Fred and George ambled in, still in their pajamas.

For a few minutes there was silence as they all read their letters. Holly’s told her to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's Cross station on September first. There was also a list of the new books she'd need for the coming year.

 _SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:_ _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ _By Miranda Goshawk_ _Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart_ _Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart._

Fred, who had finished his own list, peered over at Harry's.

"You've been told to get all Lockhart's books, too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan - bet it's a witch."

At this point, Fred caught his mother's eye and quickly busied himself with the marmalade. Holly chuckled at the look on his face.

“Better watch your tongue, Fred.”

"That lot won't come cheap," said George, with a quick look at his parents. "Lockhart's books are really expensive......”

"Well, we'll manage," said Mrs. Weasley, but she looked worried. "I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things second-hand."

"Oh, are you starting at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked Ginny. Holly had a hard time controlling her laughter.

She nodded, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair, and put her elbow in the butter dish. Fortunately no one saw this except Harry and Holly, because just then Ron's elder brother Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.

"Morning, all," said Percy briskly. "Lovely day."

He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, grey feather duster - at least, that was what Holly thought it was as she leaned a little forward to see what it was, until she saw that it was breathing.

"Errol!" said Ron, taking the limp owl from Percy and extracting a letter from under its wing.

"Finally - he's got Hermione's answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."

He carried Errol to a perch just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol flopped straight off again so Ron lay him on the draining board instead, muttering, "Pathetic." Then he ripped open Hermione's letter and read it out loud:

 _"`Dear Ron, and Harry and_ _Holly if you're there, "`I hope everything went all right and that both Harry and Holly are okay and that you didn't do anything illegal to get them out, Ron, because that would get Holly and Harry into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Harry and Holly are all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl because I think another delivery might finish your one off. "'I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course'-_ How can she be?" said Ron in horror. "We're on vacation! - 'and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? _"`Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. Love from Hermione."'_

"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," said Mrs. Weasley, starting to clear the table. "What're you all up to today?"

Harry, Holly, Ron, Fred, and George were planning to go up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. It was surrounded by trees that blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high.

They couldn't use real Quidditch balls, which would have been hard to explain if they had escaped and flown away over the village; instead they threw apples for one another to catch. They took turns riding Holly’s Nimbus Two Thousand, which was easily the best broom; Ron's old Shooting Star was often outstripped by passing butterflies.

Five minutes later they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. They had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he had said he was busy. Both the Potters had only seen Percy at mealtimes so far; he stayed shut in his room the rest of the time. Holly asked Ginny if she wanted to come along but she gave an alarmed expression and shook her head furiously.

"Wish I knew what he was up to," said Fred, frowning. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve OWLs and he hardly gloated at all."

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained, seeing Harry's puzzled look. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I could stand the shame." Holly shook her head.

Bill was the oldest Weasley brother. He and the next brother, Charlie, had already left Hogwarts. Neither of the Potters had met either of them, but knew that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill in Egypt working for the wizard's bank, Gringotts.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," said George after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything......” Neither Holly nor Harry said anything. They honestly felt a little bit awkward. Stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that their parents had left them. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that they had any money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. The Potter twins made sure not to mention anything about their Gringotts bank account to the Dursleys; they didn’t think their horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold.

Mrs. Weasley woke them all early the following Wednesday. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Mrs. Weasley took a flowerpot off the kitchen mantelpiece and peered inside.

"We're running low, Arthur," she sighed. "We'll have to buy some more today... Ah well, guests first! After you, Harry dear!"

And she offered him the flowerpot.

Harry stared at them all watching him.

"W-what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.

"They’ve never travelled by Floo powder," said Ron suddenly. "Sorry, Harry, I forgot."

"Never?" said Mr. Weasley. "But how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school things last year?"

"We went on the Underground -"

"Really?" said Mr. Weasley eagerly. "Were there escapators? How exactly -"

"Not now, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you've never used it before -"

"They’ll be all right, Mum," said Fred. "Harry, Holly, watch us first."

He took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames.

With a roar, the fire turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped right into it, shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and vanished.

"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs. Weasley told Harry as George dipped his hand into the flowerpot. "And be sure to get out at the right grate......”

"The right what?" said Harry nervously as the fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too. Holly was excited about trying this new way of ‘transportation’, unlike Harry.

"Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly -"

"They’ll be fine, Molly, don't fuss," said Mr. Weasley, helping himself to Floo powder, too.

"But, dear, if they got lost, how would we ever explain to their aunt and uncle?"

"They wouldn't mind," Holly reassured her. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if we got lost up a chimney, don't worry about that -"

"Well ... all right ... you go after Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going-”

"And keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised.

"And your eyes shut," said Mrs. Weasley. "The soot -"

"Don't fidget," said Ron. "Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace -"

"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George."

“Can I go with Harry?” Holly asked, unsure. Mrs. Weasley looked a bit thoughtful for a moment before agreeing with her. “Just be careful,” She reminded them.

Trying hard to bear all this in their minds, Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire and Holly got next to him, grabbing him slightly, looking extremely uncomfortable. Harry took a deep breath, scattered the powder into the flames, and stepped forward, holding Holly with the other hand; the fire felt like a warm breeze; he opened his mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash.

"D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed.

It felt as though she was being sucked down a giant drain. And they seemed to be spinning very fast - the roaring in her ears was deafening as she tried to keep her eyes open but the whirl of green flames made her feel sick. Something hard knocked Harry’s elbow and he tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning - now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face - squinting through his glasses he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond - his bacon sandwiches were churning inside him - he closed his eyes again wishing it would stop, and then –

He fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt the bridge of his glasses snap, he hadn’t even looked around before Holly came tumbling and fell on him. “Sorry!” she whisper-yelled.

Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, Harry got gingerly to his feet, holding his broken glasses up to his eyes. He helped Holly up who quickly dusted off her clothes and hair that were now open. As far as they could figure out, they were quite alone, wherever they were, they had no idea. Harry grabbed Holly’s elbow with his left hand, freaked out. All she could tell was that they were standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop - but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list.

A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley. She looked next to him and saw Harry’s worried expression.

The sooner they got out of here, the better. Nose still stinging where it had hit the hearth, Harry and Holly made their way swiftly and silently toward the door, but before they’d got halfway toward it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass - and one of them was the very last person Harry or Holly wanted to meet when they were lost, especially when one of them was covered in soot, and wearing broken glasses: Draco Malfoy.

Holly looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to her left; she shot inside it, taking Harry with her and pulled the doors closed, leaving a small crack to peer through. Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy stepped into the shop.

The man who followed could only be Draco's father. He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold, grey eyes. Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang a bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."

Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."

"I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter. "What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. “Holly Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so she and her brother could play for Gryffindor. She’s not even that good, it's just because she-they’re famous ... famous for having a stupid scars. . . ."

Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls.

". . . everyone thinks she's so smart, wonderful Potter with her scar and her broomstick and her singing and -"

"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his son. "And I would remind you that it is not - prudent - to appear less than fond of  _Holly_ and Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard them as the heroes who made the Dark Lord disappear - ah, Mr. Borgin."

A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face.

"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair.

"Delighted - and young Master Malfoy, too - charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today and very reasonably priced -"

"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy. Holly furrowed her eyebrows, wondering.

"Selling?" The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face.

"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few - ah - items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call ......"

Mr. Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list.

"The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"

Mr. Malfoy's lip curled.

"I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act - no doubt that flea- bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it—”

Harry felt a hot surge of anger, Holly’s hand curled into a fist.

"- and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear -"

"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see. . ."

"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.

"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."

"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr. Malfoy coldly, and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offense, sir, no offense meant --"

"Though if his grades don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy, more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for -"

"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger -"

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.

"Ha!" said Harry under his breath, pleased to see Draco looking both abashed and angry. Holly smirked, pushing her hair back.

"It's the same all over," said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere -"

"Not with me," said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils flaring.

"No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Mr. Borgin, with a deep bow.

"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today -"

They started to haggle. Harry watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to their hiding place, examining the objects for sale. Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals, Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date.

Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him. He walked forward - he stretched out his hand for the handle –

"Done," said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco -"

Harry wiped his forehead on his sleeve as Draco turned away. Holly, who had leaned back, saw Harry’s relief and let out a sigh.

"Good day to you, Mr. Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods." The moment the door had closed, Mr. Borgin dropped his oily manner.

"Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your manor......”

Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. Harry waited for a minute in case he came back, then, quietly as he could, slipped out of the cabinet, Holly right behind him, past the glass cases, and out of the shop door.

Clutching his broken glasses to his face, Harry stared around. He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one he'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads and, two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders. Two shabby-looking wizards were watching them from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Feeling jumpy, Harry set off, trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he'd be able to find a way out of here.

An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told them they were in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as neither of them had ever heard of such a place. He supposed he hadn't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys' fire. Trying to stay calm, he wondered what to do.

"Not lost are you, my dears?" said a voice in his ear, making him jump back, Holly let almost screamed at the sudden noise.

An aged witch stood in front of them, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at them, showing mossy teeth. Holly backed away, pulling Harry behind her when the witch reached out for Holly’s red hair.

"We’re fine, thanks," he said. "We’re just -"

"HARRY! HOLLY! What d'yeh think yer both doin' down there?"

Harry's heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, came striding toward them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard.

_“Hagrid!”_


	33. Bk 2: Ch6

"Hagrid!" Harry croaked in relief. "We were lost - Floo powder -"

Hagrid seized Harry and Holly by the scruffs of their necks and pulled them away from the witch, knocking the tray out of her hands. Her angry shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway and out into the bright sunlight. The first thing Holly saw was a familiar snow-white marble building standing tall in the distance, the Gringotts Bank. Hagrid had steered them right into Diagon Alley.

"Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly; brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. "Skulkin' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno dodgy place, Harry, Holly -- don' want no one ter see yeh down there -"

"I realized that," said Harry, ducking as Hagrid made to brush him off again. "I told you, we were lost - what were you doing down there, anyway?"

"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"

"We’re staying with the Weasleys but we got separated," Holly explained. "We’ve got to go and find them . . . ."

They set off together down the street.

"How come yeh both never wrote back ter me?" said Hagrid as the Potters jogged alongside him (they had to take three steps to every stride of Hagrid's enormous boots). Harry stayed quiet, Holly explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys.

"Lousy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd have known -"

"Holly! Harry! Over here!"

Harry and Holly looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. She ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her.

"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid - Oh, it's wonderful to see you three again - Are you coming into Gringotts, Holly?"

"As soon as we’ve found the Weasleys," said Holly, smiling at her friend.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.

Harry, Holly and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.

"Harry, Holly," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far. He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic - she's coming now -"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.

"Excellent." said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously. Holly gave the three brothers a look; honestly, she hoped she never went back into that place.

"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid. Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other. "Oh, Holly, Harry - oh, my dears - you could have been anywhere -" Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took Harry's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand, and returned them, good as new.

"Well, gotta be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!"). “See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.

"Guess who we saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione as the four of them climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father." "Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them. "No, he was selling,” Holly replied.

 "So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something .....”

 "You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew -"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.

"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand. Holly chuckled at Mr. Weasley’s expression.

"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and the Potter twins were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.

The vaults were reached by means of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. Both of the Potters enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys' vault, but felt dreadful, far worse than they had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon. Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. And the Potter twins felt even worse when they reached their vault. Both of them gave each other a look and tried to block the contents from view as they hastily shoved handfuls of coins into their little leather bags.

Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a second-hand robe shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.

Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. The bags of gold, silver, and bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry's pocket and Holly’s bag were clamoring to be spent, so they bought four large strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Can non robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny junk shop full of broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called “Prefects Who Gained Power. `A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers, " Ron read aloud off the back cover. “That sounds fascinating . . . ." "Go away," Percy snapped. "'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out .... He wants to be Minister of Magic….” Ron told Harry, Holly and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it. An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:

_GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12:30 P.m. to 4:30 P.m._

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please, ladies .... Don't push, there ... mind the books, now.... "

Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione squeezed inside. A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute......”

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.

A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet -"

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron and then he saw Harry and then Holly, standing beside her brother looking around at the other book. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Harry and Holly Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry's arm, and pulled him to the front, Harry also brought along Holly, who struggled to pull her brother and her back. The crowd burst into applause. Holly’s struggled as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth as he now shook Harry’s hand. "Together, you two and I are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of Harry's hand, Harry could hardly feel his fingers. Holly gave him an annoyed look and wiped her hand on her robes. They tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm around their shoulders and clamped them tightly to his side. Holly’s face twisted into an extremely uncomfortable and angry expression.

 _‘If he doesn’t let go of me I’m gonna-’_ Holly thought.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!”

“When young Harry and Holly here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography -which I shall be happy to present them now, free of charge-" The crowd applauded again. "They had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving the twins a little shake that made Harry’s glasses slip to the end of his nose, "that they would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. They and their schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September; I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and Holly (who had almost screamed at the news) found herself and her brother being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, they both managed to make their way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.

"You have these," Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own-"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing. He straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.

"Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy. Holly came struggling with her own books and set them down, looking up in front and saw Malfoy.

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet and Holly glared at the pale boy in front of her as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry and Holly here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."

Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket. Holly rolled her eyes that had turned a furious red.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids ... I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley ... and I thought your family could sink no lower—” There was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spell books came thundering down on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"  the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please - please!" cried the assistant, and then, louder than all. Holly stared at the two men, alarmed. Then both of them froze in place as if paralyzed and fell to the ground.

“Now, sirs, I suggest that if you are going to fight you do it outside.” said a male voice from behind them. The group looked back to see a tall man with golden eyes, a pale olive complexion, and straight dull brown hair pinned neatly back holding a wand in his hand. He was wearing a pair of trousers, white shirt, and a pair of embroidered vintage shoes. He also wore a pair of dark round sunglasses and a mid-length hooded cloak.

Behind him were four other adults: A male with serious blue eyes, a fair complexion, and wavy light brown hair in a wild look; a female with serene blue eyes, a pale complexion, and straight dirty blond hair in a long braid; male with dark brown eyes, a tan complexion, and jet black hair gelled into a nice sleek backed style; and a beautiful female with demure green-brown eyes, a pale complexion, and wavy golden blond hair worn loose about the shoulders. In front of the adults stood three familiar faces.

“Doth our eyes deceive! Is that-”

“Mad! Shannon! Christian!”

“Holly! Harry! Hermione! Ron!”

Madigan ‘Mad’ Baker gave a fangy smile to her friends as her crimson eyes zeroed in on their Gryffindor pals, Shannon Leyba was in the middle running to give Holly a hug, her auburn pigtails bouncing with each step, and Christian following behind the behind his two chums.

"Break it up, there, gents, break it up- Oh, yer already done."

Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he had pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy up. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy had been hit in the eye by an Encyclopedia of Toadstools. He was still holding Ginny's old Transfiguration book. He thrust it at her, his eyes glittering with malice.

"Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you -" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip he beckoned to Draco and swept from the shop.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that - no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter - bad blood, that's what it is - come on now - let's get outta here."

The assistant looked as though he wanted to stop them leaving, but he barely came up to Hagrid's waist and seemed to think better of it.

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll handle the mess.” said the man that froze Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy. He waved his wand and with a quick spell made all the fallen books flew right back on to the shelves. “There good as new.”

The stranger turned back to the Weasley and Potters group.

“Now when are you gonna say hello to your old friend Artie?”

“It couldn’t be-!”

“-Graham Baker!”

“Ring-a-ding-ding! Right you are, Artie!” The stranger confirmed as Graham Baker said happily, before turning to Mrs. Weasley. “So this vision of loveliness must be Molly, am I right?”

“Oh, Graham the charmer as always.”

“Only to the deserving.”

“How long has it been? What have you been up to?” Mr. Weasley fired off as he shook his old friend’s hand with vigor.

“Far too long, pal. Haven’t seen you since our Hogwarts days, seems like you still can’t stand old Luci after all these years.” Mr. Baker chuckled, as they hurried up the street, the Grangers shaking with fright and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.

“Well I-” Mr. Weasley tried to reason, but was cut off by Mrs. Weasley.

"A fine example to set for your children . . . brawling in public . . . what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought -"

"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report - said it was all publicity -"

“This must be one of must be yours, Artie. I assume his twin is also, any others I should know about? I have already heard from my daughter about Ron, Hermione, Holly, and Harry.”

Mr. Weasley and Mr. Baker talked about what they had been doing. Mr. Weasley going on about his job, family (“Artie, you dog! You sure kept busy!”), and anything else he could think of that was interesting. Mr. Baker went on to explain how he was doing.

“-I have three lovely kids of my own. My youngest is starting this year, just got all her things yesterday. Madigan is going into her 2nd with the rest of her friends. I gotta say I surprised when I heard Madigan mention the name Weasley when she came home during break. Thought it was just another one of your relatives’ kid, never thought it be yours.-”

As Shannon, Christian, and Mad’s parents were busy introducing themselves to the other parents, Holly and Harry were informing the trio on the events at the Dursleys. Turns out Mad’s dad, Graham Baker, was actually an old friend of Mr. Weasley. According to him, Mr. Baker was ‘One of the best chasers Hufflepuff has ever seen!’ and they had been good buddies for the two years Mr. Baker spent at Hogwarts before having to move back to the US.

Christian’s parents, Lucifer and Satana Stevenson (the wild hair & dirty blond ones), weren’t very talkative or showed a lot of expression but they were nice Lycas despite Mr Stevenson’s frighteningly serious gaze. They were tasked with carrying all the bags of things their masters, Shannon and her parents, had bought.

Shannon’s parents were Lasaro and Iradessa Leyba (tan skin & golden blond ones), they were very talkative and quirky individuals just like their daughter. Mrs. Leyba was a very beautiful and humble lady, even for being one of the top wizard fashion designers in the world. Though the twins quickly discovered that she had the same penchant for the macabre like her daughter (“You were right, my little creature.~” said Mrs. Leyba, in a light hearted tone, as she gazed at Holly and Harry. “Those beautiful green irises.~ I just want to rip them out, stick them on rings, and admire them forever.~”) Mr. Leyba was busy talking about Quidditch and muggle movies with the other fathers.

But it was a subdued group that headed back to the fireside in the Leaky Cauldron, where the Potter twins, the Weasleys, and all their shopping would be traveling back to the Burrow using Floo powder. They said good-bye to the Grangers, who were leaving the pub for the Muggle Street on the other side; Mr. Weasley started to ask them how bus stops worked, but stopped quickly at the look on Mrs. Weasley's face. They said their final farewells to the Leybas, Stevensons, and Bakers, who decided to stay and shop around some more.

Harry took off his glasses and put them safely in his pocket before helping himself to Floo powder. It definitely wasn't his favorite way to travel. Holly shook her head and made sure she never got in the Floo powder with Harry.


	34. Bk 2: Ch7

The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for Harry and Holly's liking. Even though Holly was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts (with the exception of Draco and Lockhart), her month at the Burrow had been the happiest of her life. At the Burrow, they had something to look forward to everyday unlike on Privet Drive. It really was difficult NOT to feel jealous of Ron when she thought about the Dursleys and the sort of welcome she and her twin brother would be receiving the next time they turned up on the Privet Drive.

On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry and Holly’s favorite things, ending with a mouth-watering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they filled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.

It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do.

Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car.

Neither of the Potters could see just how nine people, seven large trunks, three owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia. They had reckoned, of course, without the special features that Mr. Weasley had added.

"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Harry and Holly as he opened the trunk and showed him how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily.

When at last they were all in the car, Mrs. Weasley glanced into the back seat, where Holly, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Percy were all sitting comfortably side by side, and said,

"Muggles do know more than we give them credit for, don't they?" She and Ginny got into the front seat, which had been stretched so that it resembled a park bench. "I mean, you'd never know it was this roomy from the outside, would you?"

Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Harry turning back for a last look at the house. He barely had time to wonder when he'd see it again when they were back George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks. Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick. They had almost reached the highway when Ginny shrieked that she'd left her diary. By the time she had clambered back into the car, they were running very late, and tempers were running high. Holly snickered in her head and wondered if this was normal.

Mr. Weasley glanced at his watch and then at his wife.

"Molly, dear -"

"No, Arthur -"

"No one would see - this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed - that'd get us up in the air - then we fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any the wiser -"

"I said no, Arthur, not in broad daylight -"

They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.

Holly and her twin brother had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing.

"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier.

Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed.

"I'll take Ginny and you three come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told Harry, Holly and Ron, grabbing Ginny's hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone.

"Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron said to Harry and Holly.

Harry made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of his trunk and wheeled his trolley around to face the barrier; Holly looked up at the clock and quickly got ready behind Harry. He felt perfectly confident; this wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as using Floo powder. Both of the boys bent low over the handles of their trolleys and walked purposefully toward the barrier, gathering speed. A few feet away from it, they broke into a run and

_CRASH_

Both trolleys hit the barrier and bounced backward; Ron's trunk fell off with a loud thump, Harry was knocked off his feet, and Hedwig's cage bounced onto the shiny floor, and she rolled away, shrieking indignantly, Holly stopped just in time, saving another crash and the possibility of running over the two boys; people all around them stared and a guard nearby yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"

"Lost control of the trolley," Harry gasped, clutching his ribs as he got up. Ron ran to pick up Hedwig, who was causing such a scene that there was a lot of muttering about cruelty to animals from the surrounding crowd.

"Why can't we get through?" Harry hissed to Ron.

"I dunno -"

Ron looked wildly around. A dozen curious people were still watching them. Holly looked away, uncomfortably.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway’s sealed itself -"

As the boys got themselves together, Holly looked back up at the giant clock with a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ten seconds ... nine seconds...

She wheeled her trolley forward cautiously until it was right against the barrier and pushed with all her might. The metal remained solid.

Three seconds . . . two seconds ... one second...

"It's gone," said Ron, sounding stunned. "The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?"

And they marched off through the crowd of curious Muggles, out of the station and back onto the side road where the old Ford Anglia was parked.

Ron unlocked the cavernous trunk with a series of taps from his wand. They heaved their luggage back in, put Heidi and Hedwig on the back seat, and got into the front. Holly gave both of them looks and got in the back, behind the passenger seat.

"Check that no one's watching," said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. Harry stuck his head out of the window: Traffic was rumbling along the main road ahead, but their street was empty.

"Okay," he said. “Clear,”

“Wait, you aren’t actually thinking of driving to Hogwarts, are you?” Holly asked, thinking Ron had lost it.

“Of course not, Holly...”

Holly gave a sigh of relief.

“We’ll be flying.”

“WHAT?!”

Ron pressed a tiny silver button on the dashboard. The car around them vanished - and so did they. Harry could feel the seat vibrating beneath him, hear the engine, feel his hands on his knees and his glasses on his nose, but for all he could see, he had become a pair of eyeballs, floating a few feet above the ground in a dingy street full of parked cars. Holly made sure that the owl cages didn’t fall over and sighed.

"Let's go," said Ron.

“Ron Weasley! Don’t you even think abo-”

And the ground and the dirty buildings on either side fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds, the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, below them.

Then there was a popping noise and the car, Harry, Holly and Ron reappeared.

"Uh-oh," said Ron, jabbing at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty -"

“Would you two listen t-” Holly tried to interject.

Both of the boys pummeled it. The car vanished. Then it flickered back again.

"Hold on!" Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy.

"Now what? Come to your senses?" said Holly, who had given up on trying to reason with the two boys.  

"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron.

"Dip back down again - quickly -"

They dropped back beneath the clouds and twisted around in their seats, squinting at the ground.

"I can see it!" Harry yelled. "Right ahead - there!"

The Hogwarts Express was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake.

"Due north," said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every half hour or so - hold on,”

And they shot up through the clouds. A minute later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight. It was a different world. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun.

"All we've got to worry about now are airplanes," said Ron.

“That makes this sound _much_ safer.” Holly said from the backseat.

“What’s got you so worked up, sis?”

“You want to know Harry, you REALLY want to know. First, is that we MISSED the bloody train to Hogwarts!? Then you two think that it’s a SMART idea to FLY there by using a STOLEN CAR!? INSTEAD OF I DON’T KNOW WAITING FOR MR AND MRS WEASLEY TO COME BACK OR OWLING DUMBLEDORE OR ANYTHING BETTER THAN WHAT WE’RE DOING NOW SO WE DON’T GET EXPELLED?!?!?!” Holly snapped, gathering her breaths from yelling all that.

“Better?”

“Much.”

The three of them looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time, they couldn't stop. It was as though they had been plunged into a fabulous dream. This, thought Harry, was surely the only way to travel - past swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and the prospect of seeing Fred's and George's jealous faces when they landed smoothly and spectacularly on the sweeping lawn in front of Hogwarts castle. Holly looked out of the window, biting her lower lip, she wasn’t as excited as Harry was on this subject, all she cared was to get onto the Hogwarts grounds safely and not get in trouble.

They made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was soon far behind them, replaced by neat green fields that gave way in turn to wide, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multi-colored ants, villages with tiny toy churches.

Several uneventful hours later, however, Harry had to admit that some of the fun was wearing off. The toffees had made them extremely thirsty and they had nothing to drink. He and Ron had pulled off their sweaters, but Harry's T-shirt was sticking to the back of his seat and his glasses kept sliding down to the end of his sweaty nose. Holly had rolled down both of the windows in the back and took off her jacket, running her sweaty finger through her ponytail. She was far too hot to be angry anymore. Harry had also stopped noticing the fantastic cloud shapes now and was thinking longingly of the train miles below, where you could buy ice-cold pumpkin juice from a trolley pushed by a plump witch. Why hadn't they been able to get onto platform nine and three-quarters?

"Can't be much further, can it?" croaked Ron, hours later still, as the sun started to sink into their floor of cloud, staining it a deep pink. "Ready for another check on the train?"

It was still right below them, winding its way past a snow-capped mountain. It was much darker beneath the canopy of clouds.

Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine.

Harry, Holly and Ron exchanged nervous glances.

"It's probably just tired," said Ron. "It's never been this far before......”

And they both pretended not to notice the whining growing louder and louder as the sky became steadily darker. Stars were blossoming in the blackness. Harry pulled his sweater back on, trying to ignore the way the windshield wipers were now waving feebly, as though in protest. "Not far," said Ron, more to the car than to Harry or Holly, "not far now," and he patted the dashboard nervously. When they flew back beneath the clouds a little while later, they had to squint through the darkness for a landmark they knew. "There!" Harry shouted, making Ron, Holly, Heidi and Hedwig jump. "Straight ahead!"

Silhouetted on the dark horizon, high on the cliff over the lake stood the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle. But the car had begun to shudder and was losing speed. "Come on," Ron said cajolingly, giving the steering wheel a little shake, "nearly there, come on -" The engine groaned.

Narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood. Harry found himself gripping the edges of his seat very hard as they flew toward the lake. Hedwig’s cage almost toppled over before Holly grabbed it just in time and grabbed the seat; too, trying to keep herself from falling over. The car gave a nasty wobble. Glancing out of his window, Harry saw the smooth, black, glassy surface of the water, a mile below. Ron's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. The car wobbled again. "Come on," Ron muttered. They were over the lake - the castle was right ahead - Ron put his foot down. There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely. "Uh-oh," said Ron, into the silence.

The nose of the car dropped. They were falling, gathering speed, heading straight for the solid castle wall.

"Noooooo!" Ron yelled, swinging the steering wheel around; they missed the dark stone wall by inches as the car turned in a great arc, soaring over the dark greenhouses, then the vegetable patch, and then out over the black lawns, losing altitude all the time.

Ron let go of the steering wheel completely and pulled his wand out of his back pocket.

"STOP! STOP!" he yelled, whacking the dashboard and the windshield, but they were still plummeting, the ground flying up toward them

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE!" Holly bellowed, lunging ahead for the steering wheel, but too late.

_CRUNCH_

With an ear-splitting bang of metal on wood, they hit the thick tree trunk and dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Steam was billowing from under the crumpled hood; Hedwig and Heidi were shrieking in terror; a golf ball-size lump was throbbing on Harry's head where he had hit the windshield; and to his right, Ron let out a low, despairing groan. Holly rubbed her chest, feeling the pain from being tossed frontward.

"Are you okay?" Harry said urgently.

"My wand," said Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand -"

It had snapped, almost in two; the tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters.

“Better your wand than your spine, Ron.” Holly said.

Harry opened his mouth to say he was sure they'd be able to mend it up at the school, but he never even got started. At that very moment, something hit his side of the car with the force of a charging bull, sending him lurching sideways into Ron, just as an equally heavy blow hit the roof. Holly, who herself never saw it coming, fell over and hit the cages. She groaned in pain.

"What's happen -?"

Ron gasped, staring through the windshield, and Harry looked around just in time to see a branch as thick as a python smash into it. The tree they had hit was attacking them. Its trunk was bent almost double, and its gnarled boughs were pummeling every inch of the car it could reach.

"Aaargh!" said Ron as another twisted limb punched a large dent into his door; the windshield was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs and a branch as thick as a battering ram was pounding furiously on the roof, which seemed to be caving

"Run for it!" Ron shouted, throwing his full weight against his door, but next second he had been knocked backward into Harry's lap by a vicious uppercut from another branch.

"We're done for!" he moaned as the ceiling sagged, but suddenly the floor of the car was vibrating - the engine had restarted.

"Reverse!" Holly yelled, and the car shot backward; the tree was still trying to hit them; they could hear its roots creaking as it almost ripped itself up, lashing out at them as they sped out of reach.

"That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car -"

The car, however, had reached the end of its tether. With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and Harry felt his seat tip sideways: Next thing he knew he was sprawled on the damp ground. Loud thuds told him that the car was ejecting their luggage from the trunk; Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open; she rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle without a backward look. Before she fell out of the car herself, Holly reached out and opened Heidi’s cage too, just in time. Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rear lights blazing angrily.

"Come back!" Ron yelled after it, brandishing his broken wand. "Dad will kill me!"

But the car disappeared from view with one last snort from its exhaust.

"Can you believe our luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers. "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."

He glanced over his shoulder at the ancient tree, which was still flailing its branches threateningly.

"Come on," said Harry wearily, "we'd better get up to the school......”

It wasn't at all the triumphant arrival they had pictured. Stiff, cold, and bruised, they seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, toward the great oak front doors. Holly shook her head slightly, trying to get herself back into sense. Her hair had all fallen out of her ponytail and she miserably redid it.

"I think the feast's already started," said Ron, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey - Harry – Holly - come and look - it's the Sorting!"

Harry and Holly hurried over and, together, they and Ron peered in at the Great Hall.

Innumerable candles were hovering in mid-air over four long, crowded tables, making the golden plates and goblets sparkle. Overhead, the bewitched ceiling, which always mirrored the sky outside, sparkled with stars.

Through the forest of pointed black Hogwarts hats, Harry saw a long line of scared-looking first year’s filling into the Hall. Ginny was among them, easily visible because of her vivid Weasley hair. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall, a bespectacled witch with her hair in a tight bun, was placing the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat on a stool before the newcomers.

A very small, mousy-haired boy had been called forward to place the hat on his head. Holly’s eyes wandered past him to where Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, sat watching the Sorting from the staff table, his long silver beard and half-moon glasses shining brightly in the candlelight. Several seats along, Holly saw Gilderoy Lockhart, dressed in robes of aquamarine and made a disgusted face. And there at the end was Hagrid, huge and hairy, drinking deeply from his goblet.

"Hang on..." Holly muttered to Ron and Harry. "There's an empty chair at the staff table.... Where's Snape?"

Professor Severus Snape was Harry's least favorite teacher. Harry also happened to be Snape's least favorite student. Cruel, sarcastic, and disliked by everybody except the students from his own house (Slytherin), Snape taught Potions.

"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.

“Guys,” said Holly trying to get the boys attention, her back to them.

"Maybe he's left," said Harry, "because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"

“Guys,”

"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him -"

“Guys!”

"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you three didn't arrive on the school train."

Holly finally just spun Ron and Harry around. There, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze stood Severus Snape. He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair, and at this moment, he was smiling in a way that told Holly that she, Harry and Ron were in very deep trouble.

"Follow me," said Snape.


	35. Bk 2: Ch8

Holly felt the color drain from her face. She wondered if Snape had heard what they were talking about. So much for getting into Hogwarts without getting in trouble, not to mention they were caught by SNAPE.  “Oh no,” she whispered under her breath, pretty sure that they were end up being thrown out of the school.

Not even daring to look around in shyness or anxiety, Holly followed their potions teacher, Professor Snape with her twin brother and friend. They went up through the steps and into the huge, echoing entrance hall, which was lit up with flaming torches. Holly noticed the delicious smell of food that was coming from the Great Hall, but Snape had other idea. He led them away from the warmth and light, and down a narrow stone staircase that led to one place: the dungeons.

"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing.

The three of them entered Snape’s office, shivering slightly. Holly’s head hurt but she didn’t even think of doing anything about it. Instead, she looked around the room without turning her face in case Snape snaps. The shadowy walls (that look like his classroom, Holly noted) were lined with shelves with large glass jars. Near the desk, the fireplace was dark and empty. Holly snapped back into reality when she heard Snape close the door and turned to look at them.

"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry and Holly Potter and their faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we?"

"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it -"

"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?" Ron gulped. Holly wondered how Snape came to know about the car but this question was answered when she saw Snape unroll today’s issue of the Evening Prophet. “You were seen,” Snape hissed, showing them the headline that read:

_ FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. _

He began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower ... at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing ... Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police ... Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he said, looking up at Ron and smiling still more nastily. "Dear, dear ... his own son..." Holly pursed her lips, feeling a little sick. If anyone found out that Mr. Weasley was the person to bewitch the car…  

"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on. "That tree did more damage to us than we -" Ron blurted out. "Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here." The group of three stared at each other, scared and white-faced. Holly’s thirst was gone and she felt completely empty. She kept thinking how she should have stopped Ron and Harry from taking the car.

Not only they will be expelled, no matter how good she did in last year’s exams, but Mr. Weasley might face a lot of trouble. Holly looked at Harry and Ron, who seemed to be worried just as much as her and sighed. If Snape had gone to fetch Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, they were hardly any better off. She might be fairer than Snape, but she was still extremely strict.

Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough it was Professor McGonagall who accompanied him. Holly may have seen Professor McGonagall angry on many occasions (for example when a student was late) but it seemed like that either she forgot what she looked like when she was angry, or she had never seen her this angry before. She raised her wand the moment she entered; Holly’s eyes widened as Harry and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.

"Sit," she said, and the trio backed into chairs by the fire.

"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.

Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.

"-so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you two each have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry and Holly.

“That’s what I tried to tell them-” Holly commented.

“But you still didn’t do it.” said Professor McGonagall.

There was a knock on the office door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it. There stood the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.

As Dumbledore stepped in, Holly felt her whole body go numb and empty. Because Dumbledore looked unusually grave as he stared down his crooked nose at them, and Holly was sure that she would’ve given anything to be out of this situation.

There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."

It would have been better if he had shouted because the disappointment he held in his voice made Holly feel extremely ashamed. Maybe this was why she was unable to look Dumbledore in the eyes and instead, she looked away when questioned. She told Dumbledore the almost exact same thing as Harry and Ron, also making sure not to mention that Mr. Weasley owned the bewitched car.

Though she tried to make the story as believable as possible, she knew deep down that Dumbledore would see through this all at once, but Dumbledore didn’t ask any question about the car. When Holly was done with her story, he merely continued to peer at them through his spectacles.

"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.

Holly, who was previously looking at Ron, quickly looked towards Professor Dumbledore.

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon all three of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

Snape looked as though Christmas had been cancelled. He cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these students have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree - surely acts of this nature -"

"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these students’ punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva; I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample -" Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry, Holly and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.

"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding."

"Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve. "Professor, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted -" "The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Professor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor." "Oh, good," said Ron. "And speaking of Gryffindor -"  
Professor McGonagall said sharply, but Holly quickly cut in, not really sure if she should’ve done that or not: "Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started so - so Gryffindor shouldn't really have points taken from it - should it?" she finished slowly, watching her anxiously.

Professor McGonagall gave her a piercing look but Holly was sure she had almost smiled. Her mouth looked a little less thin, to be honest. "I will not take any points from Gryffindor," she said, and Holly’s shoulder slumped a little in relief, her heart was no longer as heavy. "But you will get a detention." Holly sighed in relief; it was better than she had expected.

At least they didn’t have to go around the forbidden forest again. Also, as for Dumbledore writing to the Dursleys, that wasn’t anything. Both the Potters knew it meant nothing to them, actually, the Dursleys would be disappointed that they weren’t squashed flat by the Whomping Willow.

Professor McGonagall raised her wand again and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, three silver goblets, and a jug of-iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.

"You will eat in here and then go straight up to your dormitories," she said. "I must also return to the feast."

When the door had closed behind her, Ron let out a long, low whistle.

"I thought we'd had it," he said, grabbing a sandwich.

"So did I," said Harry, taking one, too.

“Same here,” Holly said, grabbing a sandwich for herself, stuffing into her mouth with vigor.

"Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron thickly through a mouthful of chicken and ham.

"Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw them." He swallowed and took another huge bite. "Why couldn't we get through the barrier?"

Harry shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," he said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast......”

“Hermione and the others must be wondering where we are,” Holly wondered out loud. “Do you think Professor McGonagall told her about us?”

She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."

When they had eaten as many sandwiches as they could (the plate kept refilling itself) they rose and left the office, treading the familiar path to Gryffindor Tower. The castle was quiet; it seemed that the feast was over. They walked past muttering portraits and creaking suits of armor, and climbed narrow flights of stone stairs, until at last they reached the passage where the secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower was hidden, behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Err -" said Harry, looking at Holly, who shook her head and gave him a ‘How can I know?’ look.

They didn't know the new year's password, not having met a Gryffindor prefect yet, but help came almost immediately; they heard hurrying feet behind them and turned to see Hermione, Shannon, Mad, and Christian dashing toward them.

"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors - someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car—”

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Holly assured her.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" said Hermione, sounding almost as severe as Professor McGonagall, and staring especially at Holly.

“For real! That is a most excellent and grandeur way of making an entrance! Totally Bill and Ted worthy! I’m so proud of you, My Prince” Shannon commented looking at them with excitement as she hugged the life out of Holly.

“S ì , S ì ! Arriving in an auto volante on the primo day! Stupefacente!”

“The whole is already talking about it.”

"Skip the lecture, Hermione," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's ‘wattlebird,"' said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point -”

Her words were cut short, however, as the portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping. It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake, packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive. Arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry, Holly and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people will be talking about that one for years -"

"Good for you," said a fifth year Harry had never spoken to; someone was patting him on the back as though he'd just won a marathon; Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, Harry on the other hand, was really uncomfortable with this, and she could see one person who didn't look happy at all. Holly was trying to explain to Fred and George, that she was not becoming a prankster. Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Holly nudged both of the boys to get their attention in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Both of them got the point at once.

"Got to get upstairs - bit tired," Ron said, and both of the boys started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories, leaving Holly behind, who waved them a good bye before yawning a little herself.

"Night," Harry called back to Holly and Hermione, the latter was wearing a scowl just like Percy's. Mad, Shannon, and Christian left to go back to the Slytherin dormitory.

Holly turned around and looked at Hermione and grinned cheekily. Hermione kept scowling at her but soon a little smile broke out on her face and she laughed, hugging Holly, who laughed and hugged her back.

Holly soon pulled back and grabbed Hermione’s hand, pulling her through the crowd and managed to get to the other side of the common room, Holly still had her shoulder being thumped, and slowly climbed up the quiet staircase. “Come on, Hermione,” They hurried up and Hermione led Holly to their same old dormitory but how it had a sigh on its door saying: SECOND YEARS. They both entered the familiar, circular room, with its four four-posters hung with red velvet and its high, narrow windows. Holly’s trunk had been brought up for her and stood at the end of her bed.

Holly looked at Hermione and smiled again.

"I know I should’ve stopped them, but—”

“I’m just glad you’re all okay,” Hermione said, flopping down on her bed. “You need to tell me everything,”

Holly quickly sat down on her own bed next to Hermione’s and started telling her everything. When she was finished, Holly and Hermione both stared at each other for a moment before cracking up again. It had been a long while since they could actually talk to each other, and it had also been a long while since Holly felt like she was finally back home.


	36. Bk 2: Ch9

However, the next day, Holly barely grinned. Things seemed to go downhill, starting from the breakfast in the Great Hall. The four long house tables were set with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountain of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the enchanted ceiling, which was today a cloudy grey. Everything was set for a perfect breakfast.

Holly looked up and saw Harry and Ron come over and sit down across her and Hermione, who was reading her copy of ‘Voyages with Vampires’, which was propped open against a milk jug. Holly looked at a few points through the book when Hermione pointed them out.

“That libro is not that grande! Anche the writer isn’t that grande either.” Mad said, not interested in any of it, seeing as she was mostly vampire and was raised by them she didn’t see any point to it. Also, she wasn’t too fond of Lockhart either, making Hermione huff.

Hermione greeted the two boys with stiffness in her voice, which made it clear that she was still disappointed with them. Holly, on the other hand, greeted them smiling, with Neville Longbottom, who was pretty cheerful too.

"Mail's due any minute - I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."

Holly took a sip from her pumpkin juice when there was a sudden, rushing sound overhead and then, a hundred or so owls came streaming in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages to their respective owners. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and grey fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.

Holly leaned away; not wanting her robes ruined and picked up Hermione’s book quickly; making sure didn’t get soaked in the milk too.

"Errol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Holly narrowed her eyes at Errol, who slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger while Holly cradled the old bird like a baby, cooing over the bird.

“Who’s an old owlie wowlie? You are, yes you are.”

"It's not that - it's that."

Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Holly, Harry and Hermione, but Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode. Holly wondered what was in it.

"What's the matter?" said Harry. Holly looked at Ron expectedly.

"She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

“What?” Holly muttered to herself.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't, my gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" - he gulped - "it was horrible."

Holly and Harry looked at each other, before the former looked at Ron and Neville, before looking back down at the red envelope. What is so threatening about a letter?

"What's a Howler?" Harry said.

But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.

"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes -"

“Take cover!” Shannon yelled, bracing herself for the inevitable.

Holly watched Ron stretch out his shaking hand and grabbed the envelope from Errol’s beak and slit it open. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Neville, Mad, and Christian stuffed their fingers in their ears. However, a split second later, Holly knew exactly why. For a moment, she thought it had just exploded, the sound filling the huge hall, causing dust off from the ceiling.

"STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHERAND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE -"

It was Mrs. Weasley! Holly stared at the envelope in shock and horror as Mrs. Weasleys yelled, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen. It wasn’t helping that Shannon wouldn’t stop laughing.

"- LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU, HARRY AND HARTLYN COULD HAVE DIED -"

Holly and Harry looked at each other.

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Holly looked across the table and at the two boys, Harry and Ron, who sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over them and Holly was sure her expression was the same. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.

Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head.

"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you -"

"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron.

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA-oof!” Shannon was laughing so hard she fell out of her seat.

“Mi dispiace per tuo padre, Ron.” Mad said, trying to get her head together after having her heightened hearing hurt by that Howler.

Holly looked down at the toast she was holding in her hands and placed it down, pushing away the plate. She felt extremely guilty. Mr. Weasley was facing an inquiry at work. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for them over the summer... If she only had prevented it…

However, Holly had no time to think, because just then, she saw Professor McGonagall moving through by the Gryffindor table, handing out the course schedules. Holly didn’t meet Professor McGonagall’s eyes and took her own schedule. She looked through it and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.

“Ciao, cara sorella.” A voice said from behind them, Mad went rigid. The group turned to see a short brunette Ravenclaw girl sporting sunglasses like Mad’s and way too much make up, behind her stood a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw girl. Her voice was cold and she had a disgusted expression on her face, likely directed at the group of friends. “I knew that Howler had to belong to one of tuoi amici. Birds of a feather flock together.”

Mad’s face twitched before going stone faced. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Holly stood shocked that the girl just said that about them. They didn’t know who this girl was, but she obviously knew Mad enough. They turned to her seeking an explanation.

“Guys, this is mia sorella. My little sister, Rebeckah.”

“It’s Becca now, sorella. I just came to say this. Don’t think you’re so high and mighty just because your friends with Harry and Holly Potter.”

“Mad would never think that!” said Hermione, not liking the girl.

“Yeah~ Acting high and mighty is my job!~” exclaimed Shannon.

“Don’t talk to-” Ron tried to say. They tried to defend their friend but were cut off.

“I don’t believe I was conversing with voi due.” Becca threw a glare at them, coming off even smugger as she tossed her straight shoulder length brown hair. “As I was saying to my _loving_ grande sorella, I’m only going to say this once. No matter what you do I’m going to do all my duties more perfectly than someone like _you_.”

Her words were laced with venom and her face showed that she was dead serious. Mad face had gone from straight-faced to crestfallen, though it was only noticeable by her friends. Holly was about to get up and teach the girl a lesson when Mad stood up, her face laced with a scarily calm smile.

“Becca, che è abbastanza. If you don’t hurry you’ll be late for class and we wouldn’t want that now would we, mia sorellina.”

Becca looked like she was about to retort, when the strawberry blonde Ravenclaw girl behind tapped her shoulder and let her know that they did actually have to go to class. As she turned and walked away, leaving the others to glare at her back. Hermione, Holly, Harry, and Ron turned to Mad firing off questions about her sister’s attitude, while Shannon and Christian casually went back to eating and discussing their schedules, accustomed to the siblings’ fights. They hadn’t gotten any actual response from Mad except ‘ordinario sibling rivalry, you know’ and how her sister was just like that. She said that they shouldn’t let her sister get to them.

Harry, Ron, Holly and Hermione left the castle together, Mad and the others going to their first class. They crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At least the Howler had done one good thing: Hermione seemed to think Harry and Ron had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.

As they came near the greenhouses, Holly noticed that the rest of the class was standing outside, waiting for their Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout. Just as Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined their friends, Professor Sprout came striding in their view across the lawn, and Holly looked further and saw, to her horror, that she was accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart.

“Oh no…” Holly mumbled. As they came closer, Holly saw Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings. Holly bit her lower lip in guilt.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Aunt Petunia faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming. Holly rolled her eyes, his very presence was annoying.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels . . ." Holly made gave him an expression of ‘Really?’ "Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before - greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Holly saw Professor Sprout take a large key from her belt and unlock the door. She caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. She grinned, and was about to go in with Ron, Harry and Hermione when Lockhart stopped her and her twin brother.

"Harry and Holly! I've wanted a word - you don't mind if they’re a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"

Holly pleadingly looked at the Herbology Professor expectedly, wanting her to refuse and judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face. Holly scowled at the ground.

"Harry and Holly," said Lockhart, his large white teeth gleaming in the sunlight as he shook his head.

Holly rolled her eyes slightly and looked away, neither her nor Harry replying.

"When I heard -well, of course, it was my entire fault. Could have kicked myself."

Harry and Holly looked at each other, not understanding what he was talking about. “Do you know what he’s talking about?” Holly mumbled to Harry, who shrugged in reply. "Do you know when I've been more shocked? Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile."

Holly had a serious problem controlling the urge to slap him upside the head.

"Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" said Lockhart. "Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."

"Oh, no, Professor, see-”

"Harry and Holly," said Lockhart, reaching out and grasping their shoulders, Holly stepped slightly back and Lockhart acted as if nothing happened and waved his hand around.

"I understand. Natural to want a bit more once you've had that first taste - and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was bound to go to your head - but see here, children, you can't start flying cars to try and get yourself noticed. Just calm down, all right? Plenty of time for all that when you're older. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking! 'It's all right for him; he's an internationally famous wizard already!' But when I was twelve, I was just as much of a nobody as you two are now. In fact, I’d say I was even more of a nobody! I mean, a few people have heard of you, haven't they? All that business with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" Holly gave him a look, debating how bad it would be to punch a teacher.

Lockhart glanced at the lightning scar on Harry's forehead that was clear in view but Holly gave him a glare, daring him to even look at hers that was well hidden behind her bangs. "I know, I know - it's not quite as good as winning Witch Weekly's Most Charming-Smile Award five times in a row, as I have - but it's a start, it's a start." He gave Harry and Holly a hearty wink and strode off.

Holly and Harry looked at each other, stunned for a few second but then Holly shook her head and pulled Harry towards the greenhouse. Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the centre of the greenhouse. As Harry and Holly took their place with Ron and Hermione, Holly noticed that there were about twenty pairs of different colored ear muffs on the bench. Holly looked up just as Professor Sprout spoke out, "We'll be repotting Man drakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Man drake?" And to nobody's surprise, Hermione and Holly's hands were the first into the air.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Holly smirked at Hermione, who smiled back. The former girl raised her hand and Professor Sprout nodded.

"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said.

"Precisely. Take another ten points, Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. Holly looked at them carefully; this was the first time she had seen them live.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy. Holly carefully grabbed a red one and smiled.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on."

Holly pushed back her long red hair and quickly pulled on the red earmuffs. They seemed to have shut out every sound, completely. She looked back up and saw Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Holly watched as Professor pulled out a small, muddy and extremely ugly baby-like creature out of the earth instead on roots. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs. Holly’s eyes widened I amazement.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.

"Five to a tray - there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there - and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, its teething."

She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but had never spoken to. Soon another Huffepuff came over, a wavy-haired brunette girl with a timid air around her; they recognized her as one of the girls with Becca.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter... And you're Hermione Granger - always top in everything" (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) "- and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your flying car?"

Ron didn't smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind. Holly shook her head and patted Ron on the back. “Nice to meet you, Justin,” She smiled, not really shy at all. “I’m-” “Holly Potter!” Justin almost shouted, before mumbling a sorry and blushing. Holly and Hermione chuckled at him.

“Hello, what’s your name?” Holly asked the Hufflepuff girl a smile.

“C-C-Cassiopeia Lapp.” said the girl, in an accent Holly didn’t recognize. The girl was obviously trying to not seem so shy, but failing at it.

“That’s a pretty name, mind if we call you Cassie.” Holly asked, knowing she’d pronounce the girl’s name wrong in the future.

“I heard an accent. Where are you from?” Hermione asked trying to lessen the girl’s nervousness.

“N-New Orleans.”

"That Lockhart's something isn't he?" interjected Justin happily as they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I’d have died of fear if I’d been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and - zap - just fantastic.

"My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family . . . ."

Holly quietly listened to him but after that, they didn’t really have a chance to talk because their earmuffs were back on their ears and they were supposed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Holly furrowed her eyebrows and dropped one of them carefully into a pot and saw Harry struggling with a pretty fat one.

By the end of the class, Holly was pretty happy to notice that she wasn’t the only one all sweaty, aching and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today’s were especially difficult. A lot of students had pretty much forgotten everything they had learned last year and were having problems. Holly, who, along with Hermione, had went through the books and actually knew what she was doing.

Harry had trouble too, which made sense; the beetle just seemed to escape as it scuttled over the desktop, trying to avoid his wand. Ron was having problems too, worse if possible. He had patched up his wand with some borrowed Spellotape, which Holly pointed out didn’t seem that much of a great idea, as the wand seemed to have gotten damaged beyond repair now. All that came out of it was thick grey smoke that smelled of rotten eggs. But then, he accidentally squashed his poor beetle with his elbow. Holly shook her head and looked away when Professor McGonagall gave him a new one, not really pleased with him.

Holly and Harry were both relieved when the lunch bell rang. Holly was really hungry and while Harry because his brain felt like a wrung sponge. Holly watched everyone slowly walk out of the classroom and stayed back with Harry and Ron, the latter was busy whacking his wand furiously on the desk. Holly gave him a disproving look.

"Stupid - useless - thing -"

"Write home for another one," Harry suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker. Holly stepped aside from the direction of the wand and sighed.

"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing the now hissing wand into his bag. “`It's your own fault your wand got snapped - '"

“Just be careful where you point that thing. I don’t want to be turned into a snail, because you couldn’t cast a spell write.” Holly commented.

They walked down to the Great Hall for lunch, Holly as fast as she could while staying next to the boys. Ron's mood was not improved by Hermione and Holly showing each other the ‘perfect coat buttons they had produced in Transfiguration.

"What've we got this afternoon?" said Harry, hastily changing the subject.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione at once. Holly looked up from her plate, which was filled up with food. She took a sip from her pumpkin juice and was about to speak when Ron spoke up.

"Why, "demanded Ron, seizing her schedule, "have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"

Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously. Holly took a bite out of her sandwich and leaned over to Hermione and looked at her schedule and almost choked, laughing, Hermione blushed brighter than her friend’s hair and quickly patted her back as Holly leaned over the table, trying to stop herself.

They finished lunch and went outside, Hermione, Mad, and Shannon had to pry Holly away from the food, which caused a little scene in the great hall, but she was convinced when George, who with Fred, was leaning over a parchment paper, threw her a cupcake, Holly gave him a thumbs up and let Hermione drag her into the overcast courtyard.

There Hermione sat down on a stone step and buried her nose in _Voyages with Vampires_ again, however, even though she was busy reading, she made sure Holly was right next to her, not letting her get up. Holly didn’t really mind that, she simply sat there, leaning her head next to Hermione’s shoulder and reading the book and eating her cupcake. Mad and Shannon talking about how they spent their summers, then discussing the band, going over the new song lyrics Holly wrote, the next performance, and how they should get more members.

Later, Holly finally freed herself from Hermione, Mad, and Shannon and went to Harry and Ron, who stood talking about Quidditch for several minutes, Holly didn’t know the whole conversation so she just looked around, her sight fell upon on a very small, mousy-haired boy she had seen in the great hall, watching her and possibly Harry, who was next to her, intently. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Holly looked at him, he went bright red. Holly nudged Harry, who, with Ron, turned to see what she had to say.

"All right, Holly? And Harry… I'm -I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly. Holly was frozen, her brain finding the boy so cute and adorable that her brain overloaded.

"So I can prove I've met you two," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you both survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead and eye," (his eyes raked Harry's hairline and Holly’s eye, possibly neck but anyway) "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures will move."

Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" - he looked imploringly at Harry and Holly - "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you two? And then, could you both sign it?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potters?"

Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry and Holly Potters are giving out signed photos!"

“Shut up, Malfoy.” said Holly angrily, her fists clenching before Harry spoke anything. “It’s none of your business.” She glared.

"You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.

“Jealous?” said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head or eye, thanks. I don't think getting your eye or head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly. Holly glared at them angrily, so annoying.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way. Holly started rolling up her sleeves, ready to take on the giant.

"Be careful, Weasley," sneered Malfoy. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy will have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "If you put another toe out of line' -”

When a knot of Slytherin fifth-years nearby laughed loudly at this, Holly could feel her urge to punch Malfoy grow.

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house -"

Ron whipped out his Spellotaped wand, but Hermione shut Voyages with Vampires with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"

"What's all this, what's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. Holly face palmed, as if one idiot wasn’t enough. "Who's giving out signed photos?" Harry started to speak but he was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around his and Holly’s shoulders and thundered jovially, Holly tried pulled herself away, angry.

"Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry and Holly!"

Harry was pinned to Lockhart's side and burning with humiliation, Holly turned and saw Malfoy slide smirking back into the crowd. Idiot. "Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A triple portrait can't do better than that, and we'll all sign it for you." Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes. Colin went to ask Holly for her picture, as she had moved away from Harry and Lockhart, but Lockhart grabbed her too. “Later,” Holly said.

"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Harry, who was wishing he knew a good Vanishing Spell, and Holly, who had an annoyed expression, still clasped to his sides.


	37. Bk 2: Ch10

"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Harry, who was wishing he knew a good Vanishing Spell, and Holly, who had an annoyed expression, still clasped to his sides.

"A word to the wise, Harry and Holly," said Lockhart paternally as they entered the building through a side door. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey - if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much . . . ." Holly rolled her eyes and tried to pull away from him but Lockhart was deaf to her and Harry as he swept them down a corridor that was lined with staring students and up a staircase.

"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible - looks a tad big-headed, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but" - he gave a little chortle - "I don't think you're quite there yet." Holly wondered if this man was serious. They had reached Lockhart's classroom and finally, he let Holly and Harry go.

Holly glared at Lockhart, who once again, ignored the expression and Harry yanked his robes straight and headed for a seat at the very back of the class, where Holly joined him. Harry nodded at her and busied himself with piling up all the seven of Lockhart’s books in front of him while Holly played with her necklace again, something she has been doing a lot these days.

Soon, Holly was snapped back into reality when the rest of the class flowed inside and Hermione sat down next to her, Ron with Harry.

"You could've fried an egg on your face" said Ron. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry and Holly Potter fan club." Holly laughed.

"Shut up," snapped Harry. The last thing he needed was for Lockhart to hear the phrase "Potter fan club."

When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. Holly shook her head and trying to stop herself from banging her head on the desk.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books -well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!" Holly looked down at her own paper and read: _1.            What is Gilderoy Lockhart’s favorite color? 2.            What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition? 3.            What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date? On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to: 4.            When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?_

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. Holly made sure she made a lot of ugly doodles next to the answers.

"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Holly rolled her eyes. Ron was staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

". . . but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a trembling hand. Holly looked at her, not really surprised.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business -"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Holly furrowed her eyebrows and leaned a little forward, wondering just what might be in the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies.”

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.

"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them. Holly smirked but then, to her horror;

"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

It was pandemonium. Holly watched in shock as the pixies shot up in every direction like rockets. Two of them even managed to seize Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several of them shot straight out of the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed,

"Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"

It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way. Holly was beating them back with her copy of _Year with the Yeti_ , thinking of how she found a better use for the book.

Suddenly, the bell rang and there was a mad rush towards the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you four to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him. Holly stared at the closed door in shock.

“Did he seriously just do that?!” thundered Holly, her eyes flashing red in anger.

"Can you believe him?" roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear, until Holly smacked them away, nearly hitting Ron in the process. “Holly, that almost got me!”

“Try hitting the books sometime, you dumb pixies!” Holly screamed, itching to hit something after having to deal with Lockhart. She jumped into the swarm hitting anything with wings.

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.

"Hands on?” said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out.

"Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing -"

"Holly, stop hitting them!-Rubbish, Ron" said Hermione. "You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done -"

"He says he's done," Ron muttered.

“Seriously, Hermione!? Open your eyes! The guy’s a pretentious idiot who has no idea what he’s doing!” Holly said in disbelief, not believing her friend and the smartest witch at Hogwarts could be acting so stupid.

The next few days Harry and Holly spent dodging out the sight wherever they saw Gilderoy Lockhart coming down a corridor. Harder to avoid, according to Harry, was Colin Creevey, who seemed to have memorized Holly and her brother's schedules. Nothing seemed to give Colin a bigger thrill than to say, "All right, Holly and Harry?" six or seven times a day and hear, "Hello, Colin," back, however exasperated they sounded when they said it. Holly still greatly preferred Colin over Lockhart; she couldn’t stop hugging the boy, which made him turn an adorable shade of red according to Mad and Shannon.

On the other hand, Ron's wand was still malfunctioning, surpassing itself on Friday morning by shooting out of Ron's hand in Charms and hitting tiny old Professor Flitwick squarely between the eyes, creating a large, throbbing green boil where it had struck. Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were planning to visit Hagrid on Saturday morning. But unfortunately, Holly was woken up several hours earlier by Angelina Johnson, who told her that Oliver Wood wanted them out for Quidditch practice before leaving to get ready herself.

Holly sat up and looked outside, there was a thin mist hanging across the pink-and-gold sky. Holly groaned slightly, if she knew that they were going to having an early morning practice, she wouldn’t have stayed up so late last night, not that she could help it being the insomniac she is. Last night, Holly couldn’t sleep so she had spent her time at the Astronomy tower, trying to sort out her thoughts. There was so much on her mind, especially homework and the events of everyday were all getting jumbled up. She knew it was quite dangerous to go there, but invisibility cloak was very useful. She liked wandering around far better than just looking out the window.

Holly had certainly forgotten how it felt like to be alone, for a while at least. However, on the way back, without her cloak on, Holly had the unfortunate luck of seeing Malfoy, who looked quite suspicious walking around like that so late, especially without his goons and had to shove him aside. That kid was seriously annoying and Holly wished she had punched him.

Holly shook her head and yawned, slipping out of her bed and stretched her feet before standing up and stretching her arms. She walked to her wardrobe and carefully pulled out her Quidditch robes, not wanting to wake any of the other girls.

She went to the bathroom and quickly changed out of her pajamas and into her Quidditch clothes, she brushed her hair quickly and pulled them into a ponytail and walked out of the bathroom. She grabbed a quill and a parchment from her side table and wrote Hermione a letter, which she left on her bed. She grabbed her Nimbus Two Thousand and walked out and down the spiral stairs. Across from her, she saw Harry coming down too; she waved at him and caught up with him.

Just then there was a sudden clatter behind Harry, and Holly saw Colin Creevey come dashing down the spiral staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand. Holly stopped and raised her eyebrow at him.

"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Harry! Oh and Holly! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed; I wanted to show you -"

Harry looked bemusedly at the photograph Colin was brandishing under his nose. Holly walked a little closer and looked at it too.

Holly saw a moving, black and white picture, in which Lockhart was tugging hard on Harry’s arm while Harry was putting up a (good) fight and refusing to be dragged into the view. She was pretty glad when she saw that her picture self had already left. As Harry watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture, only to be yanked away by arms she assumed were hers, leaving a bumbling Lockhart all alone.

“I’ve got yours too,” Colin grinned, blushing at Holly. He pulled out a picture where, instead of Lockhart, thankfully, it was Colin and her, the former of them was clearly blushing just like at the moment and Holly was smiling, her arm over the boy’s shoulders as she gave him a hug.

"Will you sign it?" said Colin eagerly.

"Sure," said Holly cheerfully, happy seeing the joy on his face. "But not right now Colin, We’re in a hurry - Quidditch practice -"

Harry climbed through the portrait hole, calling Holly to hurry. “See you later, Colin.” Holly said, hurrying.

"Oh, wow! Wait for me! I've never watched a Quidditch game before!"

Colin scrambled through the hole after them.

"It'll be really boring," Harry said quickly, but Colin ignored him, his face shining with excitement. Holly smirked at Harry; this little boy taking an interest in the wizarding world like they did last year. However, it did seem like he knew Harry wasn’t in mood to talk, so he targeted Holly.

"You were the youngest House player in a hundred years, weren't you, Holly? Weren't you?" said Colin, trotting alongside them. "You must be brilliant. I've never flown. Is it easy? Is that your own broom? Is that the best one there is?"

Holly nodded at him, not noticing Harry’s pleading looks. Harry didn't know how to get rid of him. It was like having an extremely talkative shadow.

"I don't really understand Quidditch," said Colin breathlessly. "Is it true there are four balls? And two of them fly around trying to knock people off their brooms?"

"Yes," said Holly, quickly, before Harry blurted out something weird or lost his patience. "They're called Bludgers. There are two Beaters on each team who carry clubs to beat the Bludgers away from their side. Fred and George Weasley are the Gryffindor Beaters."

"And what are the other balls for?" Colin asked, tripping down a couple of steps because he was gazing open-mouthed at Holly.

"Well, the Quaffle - that's the biggish red one - is the one that scores goals. Three Chasers on each team throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through the goal posts at the end of the pitch - they're three long poles with hoops on the end. Harry’s a Chaser."

"And the fourth ball -"

"- is the Golden Snitch," said Holly, holding up locket, "and it's very small, very fast, and difficult to catch. But that's what the Seeker's got to do, because a game of Quidditch doesn't end until the Snitch has been caught. And whichever team's Seeker gets the Snitch earns their team an extra hundred and fifty points."

"And you're the Gryffindor Seeker, aren't you?" said Colin in awe.

"Yes," smiled Holly as they left the castle and started across the dew- drenched grass. "And there's the Keeper, too. He guards the goal posts. That's it, really."

But Colin didn't stop questioning them all the way down the sloping lawns to the Quidditch field, which was pretty annoying for Harry while Holly gladly kept replying to his questions. Harry was pretty relieved when they reached the changing rooms because after that, finally, Colin simply called after them; "I'll go and get a good seat, Holly and Harry!" and hurried off to the stands. Harry looked at Holly, who chuckled at his expression.

“Be sure to get some good shots, Colin!” Holly yelled to the boy in the stands.


	38. Bk 2: Ch11

As Holly followed Harry into the changing rooms, she saw the rest of the Gryffindor team already in there. To be honest, Wood was the only person who truly looked awake. Fred and George were sitting in the back, puffy-eyed and tousle haired (which caused Holly chuckle and get a questioning look from Harry). Other Chasers, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson were yawning, sitting by the opposite wall.

"There you are Harry and Holly, what kept you two?" said Wood briskly, but he didn’t really bother for a reply. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference....”

Holly sat down and looked ahead when Wood held out a large diagram of a Quidditch field, on which were many lines, arrows and crosses were drawn in different colored inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred Weasley's head drooped right onto Holly, who was too tired to care even as Fred’s head landed onto her lap. George’s head sleepily fell down on her shoulder, though Holly didn’t care since she was already entering a sleep-like state. So she didn’t have her usual conviction to push the boys out of their seats.

The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and a third under that one. Holly let out some mumbled replies as she slept through Wood’s boring talk.

"So!" said Wood, at long last, jerking Holly awake who gave a startled ‘I’m awake!’. "Is that clear? Any questions?"

"I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start too. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"

Wood wasn't pleased.

"Now, listen here, you lot," he said, glowering at them all. "We should have won the Quidditch Cup last year. We're easily the best team. But unfortunately owing to circumstances beyond our control -" Holly bit her lower lip harshly, feeling guilty. If she hadn’t been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match last year, meaning that Gryffindor had a player shot and they also suffered their worst defeat in three hundred years.

Wood took a moment to regain control of himself. Their last defeat was clearly still torturing him.

"So this year, we train harder than ever before .... Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" Wood shouted, seizing his broomstick and leading the way out of the locker rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, his team followed. Holly blinked a few times before yawning and following the rest of the team.

As Holly stepped out, she noticed that the sun was completely up now, which might have meant that they had been in the changing rooms for quite a while. Still there were remnants of mist hanging over the grass in the stadium. Holly saw Harry point her to where Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started," said Harry, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade Ron and Hermione had brought out of the Great Hall. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

“More like planning for every single possibility, contingency, and outcome…I’m so hungry,” Holly pouted, looking at them. “I need food,” But Holly saw Wood give her a stern look, so she mounted her broomstick and kicked off the ground, soaring up into the air. Holly felt energized as the cool morning air whipped her face. She closed her eyes briefly, loving the feeling of being back on the Quidditch field and back in the sky.

She grinned suddenly and soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George. Harry soon joined them around the stadium.

"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred as they hurtled around the corner.

Holly arched her eyebrows, she looked into the stands. Colin were sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, and taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.

"Look this way, Harry! This way!" he cried shrilly. “Holly!”

"Who's that?" said Fred.

"No idea," Harry lied, Holly smirked. “But—” Holly was cut off.

"What's going on?" said Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air toward them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."

"He's in Gryffindor, plus there are three Slytherins watching us right now and cheering us on." said Holly quickly, as she pointed to Mad, Christian, and Shannon who happily waved the Gryffindor flags that Shannon makes and sells.

“You can do it, Harry!”

“Ride like the wind, guys!”

“Snatch that snitch, My Prince!”

"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," said George.

"What makes you say that?" said Wood testily.

"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing. Holly followed his gaze and looked down. She saw several people walking onto the field, in green robes with broomsticks in their hands, along with one familiar face with a blue and bronze tie.

"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" Wood shot toward the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Holly, Harry, Fred, and George followed.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

Angelina and Katie had come over, too. Holly noticed that there were no girls on the Slytherin team, who stood shoulder to shoulder, facing Gryffindors, leering to a man.

"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. `I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker as well as a new team coordinator."'

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where and what in blazes is a team coordinator?"

And from behind the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale, pointed face as well as a small girl with dark sunglasses on. It was Draco Malfoy and Becca Baker. Holly’s expression twisted into that of annoyance. This kid? Seeker? And her?

 “Who’s the girl?” said George, looking at Becca in bewilderment.

“Someone far more intellectually inclined than all of you put together.” replied Becca with a sneer.

“Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" - he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives - "sweeps the board with them."

None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits. Holly glared at them in disgust.

"Oh, look," said Flint. "A field invasion."

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione were crossing the grass to see what was going on.

“Becca, what are you doing here?” Mad asked her sister.

“Just forewarning how my superior strategizing will lead to the eminent downfall of the house you so idiotically support or in a manner you can understand I have offered my support to the House of Slytherin. I believe that our akin ambitions equate well with each other. They want to see Gryffindor lose and I want to see you defeated.”

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry, as Mad and Becca stared each other down. "Why aren't you playing? And what are they doing here?"

He was looking at Malfoy, taking in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team.”

“So you had to have your daddy bride the whole team to get a spot on it?” Shannon raised her brow and crossed her arms, while Ron gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of him.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherin team howled with laughter. Holly almost went forward to punch the ‘new seeker’ when she was pulled back by the twins.

“You know all that denaro can’t buy talent, right?” Mad said as she continued the glaring contest with her sister, any more intense and sparks would be flying.

"Yeah, at least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.

It seemed like only Harry was the person who didn’t knew exactly Malfoy said and what it meant, because there was an instant uproar and rage at his words. Christian had to hold back Shannon who looked to reaching into cloak for a weapon; even Becca looked taken back by what Draco said. Flint had to practically dived in front of Malfoy, to stop Fred, George and Holly (who was previously held back the former two) jumping on him, Angelina shrieked, "How dare you!"; and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoy’s face.

“Aspettare Ron! Don-” Mad tried to stop him but…

A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.

To Holly’s shock, when Ron opened his mouth to speak, no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.

The Slytherin team was paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. Becca smirked as Mad turned away to go help Ron. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him, except for his friends.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry to Holly and Hermione, who nodded bravely, and the three of them pulled Ron up by the arms. Harry and Hermione took over and Holly turned and glared at the Slytherin team with hatred. Mad, Shannon, and Christian followed, but not before casting a quiet hex that tied the Slytherin team’s shoe laces together.

"What happened, Holly? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin had run down from his seat and was now dancing alongside them as they left the field.

Ron gave a huge heave and more slugs dribbled down his front. When Holly saw him getting worse, she almost turned back again to go punch Malfoy but was stopped by Ron’s older brothers, Fred and George. “Don’t,” George mumbled, glaring at Malfoy too. Holly looked up at Fred and George, who were a few inches taller than her, and saw them turn and look at her. “We’ll handle it,” Holly looked at Malfoy and the Slytherins, who were still chuckling. “Hurry, go and stay with Harry,”

Holly nodded slightly and quickly walked out of the stadium to where she could see Harry and Hermione, who were supporting Ron out of the stadium. Now that she was back in her sense, she could feel her cheeks go red and warm, cool air heating them further. She joined her friends as they walked across the grounds toward the edge of the forest.

"Nearly there, Ron," said Hermione as the gamekeeper's cabin came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute - almost there -"

“What kind of spell were you trying to cast?” Shannon asked as stepped around the slugs Ron spat out. “I would love to learn one that does this an-”

“Not the right momento to ask that, Shannon.” said Mad.

When they were within about twenty feet of Hagrid’s house, Holly saw the front door opened, nit it wasn’t Hagrid who came out of it. Holly saw Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing robes of palest mauve today, came striding out. Holly looked around and quickly pointed at a nearby bush.

"Quick, behind here," Harry hissed, dragging Ron behind the bush after Holly; Mad doing the same with Christian, and Shannon. Hermione followed, somewhat reluctantly.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was saying loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one - I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" And he strode away toward the castle.

Holly looked through the bush and waited until Lockhart was out of sight, and then nodded at at the others who, with Hermione’s help, pulled Ron out of the bush and up to Hagrid's front door. Holly knocked urgently.

Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was.

"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me - come in, come in - thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again -"

Holly held the door open as Harry and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the one- roomed cabin. There was an enormous bed in one corner, a fire crackling merrily in the other one. Hagrid didn't seem perturbed by Ron's slug problem, which Holly quickly explained as Harry lowered Ron into a chair, Mad and the others sitting on the floor or the other chairs.

"Better out than in," he said cheerfully, plunking a large copper basin in front of him. "Get 'em all up, Ron."

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand -"

Hagrid was bustling around making them tea. His boarhound, Fang, was slobbering over Holly and Mad as they scratched his belly and ears.

"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" Holly asked, scratching Fang's ears, who had its head on Mad’s knee.

"Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," growled Hagrid, moving a half-plucked rooster off his scrubbed table and setting down the teapot. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

It was most unlike Hagrid to criticize a Hogwarts' teacher, and Holly looked at him in surprise. It was weird because he never went against Snape, but this man. Hermione, however, said in a voice somewhat higher than usual, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job -"

"He was the on' man for the job," said Hagrid, offering them a plate of treacle fudge, while Ron coughed squelchy into his basin. "An' I mean the on' one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," said Hagrid, jerking his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy called Hermione something - it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild." said Harry.

"It was bad," said Ron hoarsely, emerging over the table top looking pale and sweaty. "Malfoy called her `Mudblood,' Hagrid -"

Ron dived out of sight again as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance. Hagrid looked outraged.

"He didn'!" he growled at Hermione. Holly bit her lower lip, her anger returning as her eyes flashed red.

"He did," she said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course -"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," gasped Ron, coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born - you know non-magic parents. There are some wizards - like Malfoy's family - who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He gave a small burp, and a single slug fell into his outstretched hand.

He threw it into the basin and continued, "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom - he's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up." Harry looked to Holly, she knew?

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do," said Hagrid proudly, making Hermione go a brilliant shade of magenta. Holly smiled at her fondly, as her and the rest of girls hugged their friend.

“No one brings it like Hermione. Malfoy wouldn’t know smarts even if he got hit over the head with all the books you’ve ever read.” Shannon commented.

"It's still a disgusting thing to call someone," said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd have died out."

He retched and ducked out of sight again.

“The same goes for vampires. When the Vampire Protection Act was made, a lot of pureblood vampire famiglie married into wizarding famiglie or ones that have vampire blood.” Mad explained. “Even the royal family has wizarding blood.”

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron," said Hagrid loudly over the thuds of more slugs hitting the basin. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. ’Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."

"Harry and Holly," said Hagrid abruptly as though struck by a sudden thought. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

Furious, Harry wrenched his teeth apart with were cemented together by Hagrid's treacle fudge. Holly looked at him, wondering if Lockhart had anything to do with this.

"Neither I nor Holly have been giving out signed photos," he said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around -"

“We aren’t, it’s just that one of the younger kids had asked for it and it seemed mean to refuse him and I don’t really care if it’s just a photo or autograph and-” Holly babbled trying to explain herself, but then they saw that Hagrid was laughing.

"I'm on'y jokin'," he said, patting Harry genially on the back and sending him face first into the table. Holly let out a laugh. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need teh. Yer more famous than him without tryin'."

"Bet he didn't like that," said Holly, watching Harry sit up and rub his chin.

"Don' think he did," said Hagrid, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I’d never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle fudge, Ron?" he added as Ron reappeared.

"No thanks," said Ron weakly. "Better not risk it."

"Come an' see what I've bin growin'," said Hagrid as Holly, along with Mad, Christian, Shannon, Harry and Hermione finished the last of their tea.

In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house were a dozen of the largest pumpkins Holly had ever seen in her life. Each was the size of a large boulder. “Whoa,” mumbled Holly.

"Gettin' on well, aren't they?" said Hagrid happily. "Fer the Halloween feast ... should be big enough by then."

“Can I hug it?” Shannon asked giving Hagrid her best puppy dog eyes. She squealed when he nodded and quickly hugged the pumpkin. “My papi would get a kick out of this.”

“Can we help you carve the zucche when the momento comes?” Mad asked Hagrid as she surveyed the pumpkins’ size.

"What've you been feeding them?" said Harry. Holly looked over at Hagrid.

Hagrid looked over his shoulder to check that they were alone.

"Well, I've bin givin' them - you know - a bit o' help -"

Holly noticed Hagrid's flowery pink umbrella leaning against the back wall of the cabin and shook her head slightly. She was skeptic at first but now she was pretty sure that Hagrid’s old school wand was concealed inside it. And Hagrid wasn't supposed to use magic. He had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, but Holly and Harry had never found out why -any mention of the matter and Hagrid would clear his throat loudly and become mysteriously deaf until the subject was changed.

"An Engorgement Charm, I suppose?" said Hermione, halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them."

"That's what yer little sister said," said Hagrid, nodding at Ron. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed -"

"Oh, shut up," said Harry causing Holly to laugh and pat his shoulder. Ron himself snorted with laughter and the ground was sprayed with slugs.

“Ew!” shrieked Shannon as she jumped on to Christian’s back, Holly chuckled.

"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his precious pumpkins.

As they said goodbye to Hagrid and got out to walk back to the castle, Holly noticed that it was nearly lunchtime, according to the position of the Sun. Her stomach hurt from hunger, as she had only eaten a little bit of treacle fudge since dawn, and she wanted to go back to school and eat her weight in food. Ron, on the other hand, was now hiccoughing occasionally, but only bringing up two very small slugs.

They had barely set foot in the cool entrance hall when a voice rang out, "There you are, Potters - Weasley." Professor McGonagall was walking toward them, looking stern. "You three will do your detentions this evening."

"What're we doing, Professor?" said Ron, nervously suppressing a burp.

"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," said Professor McGonagall. "And no magic, Weasley - elbow grease."

Ron gulped. Argus Filch, the caretaker, was loathed by every student in the school.

"And you, Potters, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," said Professor McGonagall. Holly couldn’t believe her ears. Mad and Shannon gave them pity looks, feeling bad for their friends.

"Oh n - Professor, can't we go and do the trophy room, too?" said Harry desperately, Holly nodding furiously behind him.

“Please anything but Lockhart. Please, Professor.”

"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall, raising her eyebrows. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."

Harry, Holly and Ron slouched into the Great Hall in states of deepest gloom, Hermione behind them, wearing a well-you-did-break-school-rules sort of expression. Mad, Shannon, and Christian offered their condolences and were trying to cheer the detention trio up. Holly’s hunger had vanished and she didn’t feel like eating anything anymore, and chose to simply nibble on an apple.

"Filch'll have me there all night," said Ron heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."

“Are you any better at wizard cleaning?” Shannon commented only to get slapped in the head by Holly.

"I'd swap anytime," said Harry hollowly. "We’ve had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail ... he'll be a nightmare......”

“I’d rather kiss the giant squid.” Holly grumbled.

“Probably learn a thing from it.” added Mad, dodging a punch in the arm from Holly.

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was five minutes to eight, and Harry was dragging his feet, and Holly, along the second-floor corridor to Lockhart's office. Holly was thinking of making a run for it, but couldn’t do that to Harry.

The door flew open at once. Lockhart beamed down at them.

"Ah, here are the scallywags!" he said. "Come in, Harry and Holly, come in -"

Holly and Harry walked in, and the first thing that could be noted about the room was the countless framed photographs of Lockhart, shining brightly on the walls by the light of many candles. He had even signed a few of them. Another two large piles lay on his desk, equally distributed.

"You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart told Harry and Holly, as though this was a huge treat. "This first ones to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her - huge fan of mine -"

The minutes snailed by. Holly’s mood got worse and worse as Lockhart’s voice wash over them, occasionally saying, "Mmm" and "Right" and "Yeah." Now and then they’ll catch a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Harry," or "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that Holly." Which was equally annoying.

The candles burned lower and lower, making the light dance over the many moving faces of Lockhart watching them. Holly sighed, and briefly stretching her aching hand over what felt like was the thousandth envelope, writing out Veronica Smethley's address. She might love writing but she didn’t like wasting her energy like this. Holly prayed that the time went faster. And then she heard something - something quite apart from the spitting of the dying candles and Lockhart's prattle about his fans, something that made her shiver uncomfortably.

It was a voice, a voice to chill the bone marrow, a voice of breath-taking, ice-cold venom.

_“Come…come to me…Let me rip you…Let me tear you…Let me kill you…”_

Holly looked at Harry, who gave a huge jump, likely heard it too, and a large lilac blot appeared on the street he was writing.

"What?" Harry said loudly. Holly looked around, wondering if there was someone there, trying to prank them.

"I know!" said Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the bestseller list! Broke all records!"

"No," said Holly frantically. "That voice!"

"Sorry?" said Lockhart, looking puzzled. "What voice?"

"That - that voice that said - didn't you hear it?"

Lockhart was looking at Harry and Holly in high astonishment.


	39. Bk 2: Ch12

"What are you two talking about? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy? Great Scott - look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I’d never have believed it - the times flown, hasn't it?"

Holly didn’t even bother looking at him; instead she tried her hardest to listen if she could hear the voice again or not. She didn’t hear it anymore, which equally freaked her out, to be honest, now, there was only Lockhart speaking as he told them they mustn't expect a treat like this every time they got the stupid detention. So, feeling extremely paranoid, Holly followed Harry out of the room.

When the Potter twins arrived in the Gryffindor common room, Holly realized just how late it had gotten, because the room was almost empty. “I’ll talk to you in a bit,” Holly told Harry as they were to their respective dormitories. Holly hurried to her dorm and found her dorm mates already sleeping. She sighed, knowing she’ll have to tell Hermione later, knowing Hermione probably had a lot on her mind anyway, due to what had happened in the morning. She pulled out her pajamas and changed, pulling along her cloak too. After this, she sneaked back out of the dorm to her twin brother’s.

Harry on the other hand, saw that Ron wasn't back yet and had decided to just change into his pajamas and got into the bed, waiting. Holly hurried in and looked around, noticing Ron nowhere. “Not here yet?” Holly asked her brother, red faced as she had almost ran into the Weasley twins. “No, not yet,” Harry replied. “Did you hear it too?” Holly looked up at the question and nodded. Half an hour later, Ron arrived, nursing his right arm and bringing a strong smell of polish (which caused Holly to wrinkle her nose, not liking the smell, especially after spending years smelling their Aunt’s stinky perfume) into the darkened room.

"My muscles have all seized up," he groaned, sinking on his bed. "Fourteen times he made me buff up that Quidditch cup before he was satisfied. And then I had another slug attack all over a Special Award for Services to the School. Took ages to get the slime off... How was it with Lockhart?" He looked up and saw Holly sitting there too, causing him to almost yell in horror.

“What’s a girl doing-Oh, wait it’s just Holly. Never-OW!” Ron rubbed his punched shoulder.

“What do you mean ‘it’s just Holly’!?”

“I just meant that we don’t really see yo--” Ron stopped seeing the look on Holly’s face. “I mean we’re used to you coming up by now.”

“Good save, Ron. Anyway—”

Keeping her voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Holly started about what had happened in the detention and especially about the voice and what it said.

"And Lockhart said he couldn't hear it?" said Ron, frowning in the moonlight. "D'you think he was lying? But I don't get it - even someone invisible would've had to open the door."

"I know," said Harry, lying back in his four-poster and staring at the canopy above him. "I don't get it either, why only us?" Holly looked away, out of the window, staring at the moon that had hung itself up high. “I should go now,” She mumbled, getting up. “Good night Harry. And Ron sweet screams~”

Holly walked out of the boys’ dormitories and while going up, decided to stay by the common room for a while, and she did so. She went and sat by the fire, not even bothering about the comfortable armchair. And she sat there, not noticing anything around her as she sat there letting the warmth of the flame heat her skin. Her bright green eyes that stared straight in the fire.

Holly was startled awake, seemed like she fell asleep sometime, when she heard the Portrait hole swing open and in came a pair of twins, laughing.

“Oh Holly, what you’re doing up so late?” George asked.

“Nothing,” Holly replied. “What did you two do?” She knew them well enough to know they had to be something.

Fred and George looked at each other and laughed. “Just planning things for the morning,” They winked at her and Holly shook her head at them.

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking pale, was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire. After seeing Ginny look so sick, Holly tried to talk to her, but the younger girl simply got away with some excuse, which was quite unlike her.

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned into muddy streams, and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden sheds. Holly loved it, oddly and often found herself frozen by the windows, staring outside intently, wanting to play in the mud so bad. However, Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions was not dampened, even more so with the help of Mad who had teamed up with Wood to help with the Quidditch plays as a way to retaliate against her sister, which was pretty much the reason why Harry and Holly were to be found, late one stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud...... This was quite enjoyable, according to Holly.

“Harry, look, I’m a mud monster!”

 Even aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session for majority of the Gryffindor team. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, had seen for themselves the speed of those new Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones. They reported that the Slytherin team was no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles which caused Holly to snort and glare at the wall in front of her (in the changing rooms).

“If we don’t take those pompous dummies down, we’ll never hear the end of it! We have to work harder than ever! Stay strong, My Prince!” said Shannon, a Slytherin, getting just as fired up as the rest of Gryffindors. It was hard to determine whether she supporting the Gryffindors out of respect or because of her crush on Holly. “I already placed my bet that Gryffindor would win!”

Holly and Harry walked along the deserted corridor, talking about upcoming match when they saw somebody who looked quite preoccupied. Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, ". . . don't fulfil their requirements . . . half an inch, if that . . ."

"Hello, Nick," said Holly and Harry in unison.

"Hello, hello," said Nearly Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Holly could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.

"You look troubled, young Potters," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.

"So do you," said Holly. “Are you okay, Nick?”

"Ah," Nearly Headless Nick waved an elegant hand, "a matter of no importance. . . . It's not as though I really wanted to join. . . . Thought I'd apply, but apparently I don't fulfill requirements'-"

In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face.

"But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"

"Oh - yes," said Harry suddenly, who was obviously supposed to agree.

"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However -" Nearly Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously: "‘we can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfil our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'"

Fuming, Nearly Headless Nick stuffed the letter away.

"Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."

Nearly Headless Nick took several deep breaths and then said, in a far calmer tone, "So - what's bothering you two? Anything I can do?"

"Not really," said Holly, sighing. "Not unless you know where we can get seven free Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Sly -"

However, Holly stopped as soon as she heard a high-pitched mewling that came from somewhere her ankles and when she looked down, she found herself staring into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs Norris, the skeletal grey cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against students.

"You'd better get out of here, Holly and Harry," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood - he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place -"

"Right," said Harry, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs Norris, but not quickly enough. Just as Holly turned to move herself, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry to her brother’s right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breakers.

There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.

"Filth!" he shouted his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Harry and Holly's Quidditch robes.

"Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potters!"

So Holly ended up waving a goodbye to Nearly Headless Nick and followed her brother and Filch back downstairs, annoyed, as they doubled the number of muddy footprints on the floor, Holly face-palmed when she realized that she could’ve just used magic.

Neither of the Potters had been inside Filch’s office before; it was a place almost every student avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single oil lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Holly could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. She wasn’t really surprised when she saw that Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves. A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.

Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment.

"Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies . . . frog brains . . . rat intestines . . . I've had enough of it . . . make an example . . . where's the form . . . yes . . ."

 He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot.

"Name . . . Harry and Holly Potter. Crime . . ."

"It was only a bit of mud!" said Holly, annoyed.

"It's only a bit of mud to you, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose.

"Crime . . . befouling the castle . . . suggested sentence . . ."

Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Harry and Holly who waited with bated breath for their sentence to fall. Because there was a great chance they were going to receive the same thing.

But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! On the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamp rattle.

"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"

And without a backward glance at Harry or Holly, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs Norris streaking alongside him. Holly arched her eyebrow, not believing that just happened.

Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace that lived to cause havoc and distress. Even though Holly didn’t really like Peeves, she could help but feeling quite grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from them.

Thinking that they should probably wait for Filch to come back, Harry sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. Holly pursed her lips and decided that she was better standing up. She looked around the office from where she stood and saw that there was like, only one thing on the desk other than the half-completed ‘crime’ form: it was a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver letters on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, Holly quickly picked up the envelope and read:

_Kwikspell_

_A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic._

Harry seemed to have noticed Holly’s interest in the letter because she was pretty intrigued; He flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:

_Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wand work? There is an answer!_

_Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!_

_Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes: "I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the centre of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!"_

_Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says: "My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms, but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course and I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!"_

Holly read the letter over Harry’s shoulder, wondering just what this meant. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean he wasn't a proper wizard?  She thought as Harry was reading "Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips)" when shuffling footsteps outside told him Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, Harry threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened. Holly quickly moved away.

Filch was looking triumphant.

"That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet -"

His eyes fell on Harry and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope, which, Harry realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started. Holly’s eyes widened and she tried to look casual.

Filch's pasty face went brick red. Harry braced himself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to his desk, snatched up the envelope, and threw it into a drawer.

"Have you - did you read -?" he sputtered.

 "No," Holly lied quickly.

Filch's knobbly hands were twisting together.

"If I thought you'd read my private- not that it's mine- for a friend- be that as it may- however-"

Holly stared at Filch, alarmed. She was pretty sure that Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, and the tartan scarf didn't help.

"Very well - go - and don't breathe a word - not that - however, if you didn't read - go now, I have to write up Peeves' report - go -"

Amazed at their luck, Holly quickly pulled Harry and sped out of the office, up the corridor, and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.

"Holly! Harry! Did it work?"

Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, or well through him, Holly could see the wreckage of a large black-and-gold cabinet that appeared to have been dropped from a great height.

"I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly.

"Thought it might distract him -"

"Was that you?" said Holly gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, we didn't even get detention. Thanks Nick!"

They set off up the corridor together. Nearly Headless Nick, Holly noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter... She looked at Harry and nodded.

 

"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," Holly said.

Nearly Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Harry walked right through him. He wished he hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower. Holly smirked at him, Harry had a distant thought that Holly must’ve known how it felt.

"But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "Holly, Harry - would I be asking too much - but no, you wouldn't want -"

"What is it?" said Harry. Holly looked up at Nick in wonder.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth death day," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.

"Oh," said Harry, not sure whether he should look sorry or happy about this. "Right."

"I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you both would attend. Maybe Miss Leyba, Miss Baker, and you could come and perform one of your wonderful songs? Mr Weasley and Miss Granger would be most welcome, too, of course - but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched Harry and Holly on tenterhooks.

"No," said Holly quickly, "We’ll come-"

"My dear! Harry and Holly Potter, at my deathday party! And" - he hesitated, looking excited - "do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"

"Of course," said Holly. Harry smirked, nodding in agreement.

Nearly Headless Nick beamed at them.


	40. Bk 2: Ch13

"A deathday party?" said Hermione keenly when Holly and Harry had finally joined her, Mad, Shannon, Christian and Ron in the common room.

"I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those - it'll be fascinating!” Holly nodded in agreement.

“What should I wear? A vintage styled pale ivory tea length dress with a beautiful 3 layer skirt with this my tulle petticoat or the pearl one with the bow rouched waistband and sweetheart neckline or that one with the lace overlay and buttons in ghost white? Oh~ this will be so exciting~~~” Shannon said with stars in her eyes, thrilled to attend a party about death.

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me. . . ."

“Sounds like a party to DIE for to me.” added Christian.

“Christian, what did we dire about the puns?”

“That their spook-tacular.”

“That’s it you’re banned from puns.”

“Talk about a pun-ishment.” Before Christian could make anymore bad puns Mad taped his mouth shut with some Spellotape.

“In ogni modo we’re up for performing at the festeggiare. We can use that new song we wrote for Halloween.” said Mad turning back to Holly, as Christian played with tape over his mouth.

As they sat in the bright and cheerful common room, outside was completely opposite, it was still raining and there sky was inky black. The soothing firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework or, in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster firework to a salamander. Fred had "rescued" the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people. Holly didn’t want to see it, thinking it would probably end up messy.

“You think if it doesn’t survive, I could have the body for dissection?” Shannon asked, the group was already use to the weirdness that was the redheaded Slytherin.

On the other hand, the Potters were almost at the point of telling Ron and Hermione about what happened in Filch’s office, and the Kwikspell course but suddenly, the salamander into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room. Christian had to pull Shannon out of the way from being hit by it, burning the book she was reading instead. The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, took the envelope and the caretaker out of their minds.

“Well on that fiery note, let’s go choose are outfits for tomorrow! I have some many costume ideas, some that can work for Harry and Ron! There’s this one hat that I think will go great with your hair, Hermione! C’mon Christian and Mad, I need you help to bring them up!” Shannon squealed as she rushed out of the common room dragging Mad and Christian with her, leaving a slightly nervous group of Gryffindors behind.

After being gone for a good ten minutes Shannon, Mad, and Christian came in carrying a whole bunch of different boxes and three large trunks. That Holly assumed were full of outfits and accessories that Holly was less than excited at trying on (as long as they weren’t dresses).

“Okay, let’s see who should go first. Hmmm…I know! I have just the thing! No-No- Uh, what was I thinking buying this- You know, every student has a phase where they REALLY hate he color green- No- Ooh, that’s cute-” Shannon said as she dove into one of the trunks, tossing out anything that wasn’t what she was looking, only stopping to push her red cat’s eye glasses back on to her face. Ron had to dodge a pink feather boa that Shannon had thrown over her shoulder.

“What’s happening over here?” Fred asked, the pink feather boa wrapped around his neck.

“Looks pretty fun.” George said tipping the top hat made from some vivid blue and white cheetah-spot fabric, that he had hit him in the head.

“Found them!” Shannon shot up almost hitting her head on the lid. She pulled out an outfit in ghost white fabric. It was a tea length dress and a pair of shoes with a knit scarf, a feathered hat, and a pendant. Shannon handed it to Hermione. “Okay, you try this one on. Remember that the hat is worn to the side. Next is Ron-”

She held up a simple outfit that was done primarily in autumn colors and incorporates tree branch fabric. It consisted of a long sleeved shirt, a pair of trousers, and a pair of knee-high boots.  The accessories were a narrow belt, a mini-crown, and a leaf scepter.

“This is my Prince of Fall outfit I designed. I just know it will bring out your hair color! Next Harry and Holly-”

Shannon brought out a sporty outfit done in black, white, and gold and incorporates skeleton print fabric.  It involves a suit and a pair of high lace-up boots with a scarf and a bowler hat. Then she brought out a similar sporty outfit done in black, white, and gold in the same skeleton print fabric. It consisted of a medium-length-sleeve blouse, a pair of shorts, and a matching pair of shoes with a wide belt and a top hat.

“I thought of you two when I designed these. They were originally gonna be your Halloween costumes for last year, but you know…Anyway I wanted something twinsy while still keeping your individuality. I added the gold details cause of your House colors and I made them sporty cause you’re my two favorite Quidditch players. Holly I made yours with shorts because I know you don’t like skirts or dresses.” said Shannon as she handed the twins their costumes. They went up to their respective dormitories to go get dressed with Ron and Hermione.

Before they knew it they had gotten the curiosity of the other student, Fred and George walked up to Shannon with expecting faces. Shannon gave them a smile and they took off. They were rummaging through the trunks and boxes, looking at the funky hats, mystical masks, and snazzy eyeglasses. She was showing Mad an elegant black cloak with light blue celestial designs.

“Can we try on some outfits?” asked Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and some other Gryffindor girls looking at the Slytherin expectantly. Shannon jumped for joy, grabbing Angelina and pulling her towards the trunks, handing the girls outfits and accessories.  

When Ron, Hermione, Holly, and Harry came down they thought Shannon would explode with glee. She practically tackled Hermione and Holly in a hug.

“Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! You look so pretty Hermione! I knew that hat would work with your hair! And Holly! You look so cool almost like an undead Prince of the night!”

Fred and George had found some reverse pattern fedoras and some dual pattern blazers. Shannon had called them Gryffindor Tower’s Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. After Holly, Harry, Hermione, and Ron changed out of their costumes and stored them in their rooms, they spent the rest of the time trying on costumes and outfits, playing pretend, and doing silly poses. Harry and Ron found particular fondness in the fake mustaches Christian had showed them; Neville, Seamus, Dean, and even Oliver Wood trying them out too. Colin Creevey wouldn’t stop taking photos with his camera.

“He’s is going to be in for a sorpresa when he just sees just a floating vestito in the foto.” Mad commented as she straightened a black top hat with roses on them. Since she was part vampire she didn’t show up in pictures or mirrors.

When it was time to go to bed, Mad and Christian helped to pack up Shannon’s things and they bid Holly, Harry, Hermione, and Ron goodbye, along with some new friends.

The next day, Harry, Ron, Holly, and Hermione were having dinner in the Great Hall after a pretty boring day of finishing homework and Quidditch lectures from Wood. Hermione had kept talking about the Deathday party going on about taking notes in case they needed to write a paper about Ghost culture.

“What do you think the etiquette for it is? Why do you think they celebrate their deaths? When do you think the first party was held and for who?” Hermione questioned on as she ate her peas.

“For the last time Hermione I don’t know! I was just invited, I don’t know anything! If you want answers go ask Nick or Shannon or Mad or anyone else because I have no idea!” Holly said, losing her patience with her best friend’s constant questions. Hermione was about to retort when Harry interrupted.

“Has anyone seen Shannon, Christian, and Mad anywhere?”

Hermione and Holly stopped realizing that dinner was almost over and they still hadn’t seen any of their Slytherin friends since this afternoon. Holly was about to looking for them when…

_BAM!_

The doors of the Great Hall slammed open as Shannon, Christian, Cassie, and the other Ravenclaw girl were standing there as two black blobs moved in the air. Holly squinted to see it was two dark brown bats fighting and screeching at each other as the flapped their wings. That’s when she realized…

“It’s Mad and Becca!”

Just as she said that Becca and Mad transformed back into their human forms, hitting the stone floor, but still continuing their fight. They didn’t hold anything back as they continued to throw punches, kicks, scratches, and bites at one another and screaming thins in Italian. They looked like they were really trying to kill each other. Whatever it was they were saying Holly knew it wasn’t nice or proper.

“Porco Demonio!”

“Marmocchio!”

 “Ti odio!”

“Ti odio di più!”

“Ti ucciderò!”

“Vai all'inferno!”

The students just kept watching, some even standing to get a better view and cheering them on. Harry and Ron looked on, not being able to tear their eyes off and Hermione was shouting at them stop it, but being drown out by the cheers. Mad had Becca in a headlock as Becca pulled at Mad’s long brown locks, neither of them wanting to lose to the other. Finally Holly had enough went up to the brawling girls

“Alright, that’s en-”

_WHAM_

Holly stumbled backwards, as the crowd went silent; one of the stray punches hit her in the nose. She swore she heard Malfoy cheer, Harry shivered knowing what would happen. She touched her nose to see a bit of blood on her hand, that’s when she lost it. Holly ran at the sisters tackling both of them on to the ground, joining the fray. Throwing punches and hitting anything that wasn’t hers.

“ENOUGH!”

Holly, Mad, and Becca found themselves floating above the ground away from each other. Below them stood an unamused Dumbledore, the trio realized where they were; Becca straightening her skirt, Mad putting her tie back in place, and Holly fixing her ponytail as they were placed back on the ground, Holly standing between Mad and Becca as they continued to glare at each other.

“Off to the infirmary now! And -20 points from each of your houses!”

Madam Pomfrey was shocked seeing the girls; Becca and Mad were slowly healing but had beaten each pretty good. Mad having a cracked rib, scratch marks across her cheeks and arms as well as some swelling from where her hair had been pulled. Becca ended up with a busted open lip, a dislocated shoulder, and a black eye along with some bruised knuckles from punching Mad. Holly having a bloody nose and some bruises on her arms and chest.

After being patched up and Holly apologizing to Mad, they headed back to their common rooms. Holly found Ron, Harry, and Hermione waiting for, but after explaining how she didn’t know why Becca and Mad were fighting and how tired she was, they went to bed. Thinking about what the Deathday party will be like tomorrow.


	41. Bk 2: Ch14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the song. It's Bump in the Night from Scooby Doo and the Goblin King. Hope you enjoy~

By the time Halloween arrived, Holly could see that Harry was kind of regretting his promise to go to the deathday party. Because the rest of the school was happily anticipating the Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in (Which, according to Mad, Christian and Shannon, was entirely possible as they cleaned the pumpkin guts off their robes) and there were rumors that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment (“That’ll be pretty humerus.” Christian kept saying, getting groans from the others).

"A promise is a promise," Hermione reminded Harry bossily. "You said you'd to the Deathday party." Holly smirked at Harry’s expression.

So at seven o'clock, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall in their costumes, which were glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead toward the dungeons. Holly managed to pull Harry back when he turned to leave and reminded that if Nick wasn’t there, they would’ve probably been in some detention rather than going to a party at the moment.

The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles, too, though the effect was far from cheerful: These were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces. The temperature dropped with every step they took. As Harry shivered and drew his robes tightly around him, he heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard. Holly narrowed her eyes and looked around; making sure that her companions heard the noise too, not wanting to be the only one to hear stuff like this.

"Is that supposed to be music?" Ron whispered.

“That’s probably why Nick asked us to play.” Holly said as she stroked her chin.

They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.

"My dear friends," he said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome . . . so pleased you could come. . . ." He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside. “Your other band mates are preparing right now, Miss Potter.”

As they stepped in, Holly looked ahead and saw an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black-draped platform. A chandelier overhead blazed midnight-blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.

“Wow,” Holly mumbled, looking around the place.

"Shall we have a look around?" Harry suggested, wanting to warm up his feet. Holly quickly nodded in excitement.

"Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Holly wasn’t sure if she was surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost who was covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by the other ghosts present there.

“HOLLY!” Shannon ran up to her, running through at least dozen ghosts without even looking back getting the chorus of ‘How rude!’ and ‘I never!’ from the ghosts.

“We were wondering when you’d get here! Isn’t this ghastly ghostly gala gruesomely and grotesquely great!” she said in her usual cheerful voice, probably the most cheerful thing at the party. “C’mon we need you on stage! Let’s knock some life into them!”

Shannon dragged Holly off to the platform, so fast that all she could hear was Hermione say ‘Oh, no,’ As Holly and Shannon made it to the platform they were greeted by Mad and the ghost orchestra. Mad seemed to have handed out the sheet music of the song to the rest of the band, whom seemed to have some giddiness on their somber pale faces. Mad had discarded her usual black cloak and sunglasses to dawn a Victorian aristocrat outfit to go with Shannon’s sugar skull costume.

“Ciao, Holly, the orchestra said they are willing to accompagnare us in our song. Are the others here? Christian couldn’t make it, because he had to finish up some last minute homework.” Mad said she looked across the room, quickly spotting the only living beings there. “Uh-oh, seems like they found the alimento.”

“I hope they try the cake I bought~ I made it myself~” chirped Shannon.

Holly looked over and saw that, on the other side of dungeon her friends were checking out a long table, which was also covered in black velvet. Her eyes followed her friends as they walked to it eagerly but suddenly stopped in their tracks, horrified expressions etched onto them. Giggling at the disgusted looks on their faces, though straightening out when Nearly Headless Nick floated up to them.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, yes, I just love the décor." Shannon said as she got behind her drums.

“We’re ready to go when you are, Nick?” Holly said as Mad handed her an enchanted microphone that would magically project her voice. Nearly Headless Nick motioned for them to start as he floated back to the dance floor. Holly tapped on the microphone, getting the attention of whole room. She took a deep breath to clear out the butterflies and began her intro.

“Hello, terrifying ladies and gentlemen! We are here to perform a song for our good friend Nearly Headless Nick’s 500th Death Day!” The guests turned to look at Nick, who looked overjoyed. “Please enjoy and sing along if you can!”

“1-2-3!” Shannon counted off.

_Gather around here underground And listen to our song We can rock this joint till dawn If you sing along Hey! What goes bump in the night?_

“We go bump in the night!” the ghosts cheered as they danced around. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were busy talking to a ghost.

_This time of year, the coast is clear To cause a terrible fright_

“We go bump in the night!”

“It’ll be out of sight!” said a ghost with an afro that turned invisible.

“We come out for a bite!” Mad said as she showed off her fangs.

_Tonight we toast to ghouls and ghosts Who haunt the pale moonlight Boo! What goes bump in the night?_

“We go bump in the night!”

“Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-RA!” sung a group of ghosts who seemed to be missing parts of their jaws.

_We go bump in the night!_

Holly was about to continue when the orchestra stopped playing at that very moment, making Mad and Shannon stop in confusion. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded.

"Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.

Holly narrowed her eyes when she saw a dozen ghost horses, each of them ridden by a headless horseman burst through the dungeon wall. Not knowing what to do she, along with Mad with her guitar and Shannon, who shrunk and picked up her drums, made their way over to Harry, Nick, and the others. The whole assembly clapped wildly; Holly was about to ask why the band stopped playing but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick's face.

The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. At the front of the pack was a large ghost who held his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn.

The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck. "Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"

He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder.

"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.

"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Harry, Ron, Holly, Mad, Shannon and Hermione and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).

"Very amusing," said Nearly Headless Nick darkly.

"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say - look at the fellow -"

"Hey!" said Holly defending, at a meaningful look from Nick, "Nick's very frightening and bloodcurdling and you’d be a fool to think otherwise!"

"Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"

“It’s true!” defended Holly as she had a stare down with Sir Patrick’s head, Harry was wondering what would happen if Holly ended punching a ghost.

"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick loudly, striding toward the podium and climbing into an icy blue spotlight.

"My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen; it is my great sorrow . . ."

But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd was turning to watch. Nearly Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers.

Holly pursed her lips, annoyed. Mad and Shannon were discussing on whether they should continue to play or not. Harry, on the other hand, was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.

"I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.

"Let's go," Holly agreed.

They backed toward the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall. “Maybe,” Holly mumbled. “You know, I was thinking –”

And then Holly heard it.

_". . . Rip . . . tear . . . kill . . ."_

It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice she, or well, they had heard in Lockhart's office.

Holly stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall nearest to her, listening with all her might, looking around, up and down the dimly lit passageway. She looked at Harry and for some reason; he didn’t look like he was hearing anything.

"Holly, what're you -?"

“Are you oka-?”

"It's that voice again - shut up a minute -"

_". . . soo hungry . . . for so long . . ."_

“Holly, what are you talking about?” Harry said, looking around. “I don’t hear anything –”

"Listen!" said Holly urgently, and Harry, Mad, Shannon, Ron and Hermione froze, watching her. _". . . Kill . . . time to kill . . ."_

The voice was growing fainter. Holly wondered if it was moving away – moving upwards.  A mixture of both fear and excitement gripped her as she stared at the dark ceiling, slightly shivering; how could it be moving upward? Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn't matter? Was it Peeves? Is this some sort of sick joke?  _Who is it? Why her? Why can’t the others hear it? Couldn’t Harry hear it before? Was she going mad?_

"This way," she shouted, and then she began to run, up the stairs, into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble of talk from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. Holly sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, the others clattering behind her.

"Holly, what're we -"

"SHH!"

Holly furrowed her eyebrows and strained her ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, she heard the voice again: _". . . I smell blood. . . . I SMELL BLOOD!"_

Holly’s stomach lurched and she felt sick - "It's going to kill someone!" she shouted, and ignoring her friends’ bewildered and shocked faces, she ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over her own pounding footsteps - Holly hurtled around the whole of the second floor, Harry, Mad, Shannon, Ron and Hermione panting behind her, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.

"Holly, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything. . . ."

“Anch with my heightened udito I don’t hear anyone’s voce.” Mad said bent over gasping, suddenly she clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide in shock. “Ragazzi, I smell blood!? FRESH BLOOD!?!?”

Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor.

"Look!"

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

_The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware._

"What's that thing - hanging underneath?" said Ron, a slight quiver in his voice.

As they edged nearer, Shannon stood behind Mad clutching her friend in fright.

“This like some scene in a horror movie.” quaked Shannon, as she nervously looked around as if some fictional killer in a hockey mask wielding a machete would pop out.

Harry almost slipped and hit Holly - there was a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed him, and the six of them inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All six of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash.

Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

Holly reached out her hand and was about to touch Mrs. Norris to make sure she was oaky. Before contact was made, Mad grabbed her arm.

“Don’t touch her.” stated Mad, her voice laced with a calm nervousness.

For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."

“Buono idea.” Mad said as she backed her and Shannon away.

"Shouldn't we try and help-" Holly began awkwardly, looking at her brother’s horrified expression.

"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Holly, Harry, Mad, Shannon, Ron, and Hermione stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

Then someone shouted through the quiet.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat. Holly was too shocked to react.


	42. Bk 2: Ch15

“What's going on here? What's going on?" Holly was startled. Attracted, no doubt, by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror. They all knew this was not going to end well.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.

And his popping eyes fell on Holly, who stood nearest to the wall, and well Mrs. Norris.

"You!” he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Mad, Shannon, Ron, Hermione and Holly, and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You too, Ms Bakers, Ms Leyba, Ms Potter, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms Granger."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. Holly didn’t even bother looking at him; instead, she looked towards the crowd of students around them, staring at the six. She saw Ron’s older twin brothers standing amongst them too, and her hand almost reached out for her necklace before she snapped back when Lockhart spoke up.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster - just upstairs - please feel free -"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore. “No,” Holly bit her lower lip.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape.

As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Holly watched in annoyance as several of the Lockhart’s in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Mad, Shannon, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching. Holly grabbed her robes and twisted her hand into a fist. This was not how this was supposed to end up.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her......”

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands. Much as she detested Filch, Holly couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as she felt for herself at the moment. If Dumbledore believed Filch, she would be expelled for sure. And she was not ready for this. No, no, never.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

". . . I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once......”

The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.

At last Dumbledore straightened up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart which caused Holly to glare at him). "But how, I cannot say . . . ."

"Ask her!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Holly, startling Harry and their friends.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced -"

"She did it, she did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what she wrote on the wall! She found - in my office - she knows I'm a - I'm a -" Filch's face worked horribly. "They know I'm a Squib!" he finished.

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Holly said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at her, including all the Lockhart’s on the walls, but she was too angry to keep quiet. "And what is a Squib?!"

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "They saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Holly’s sense of foreboding increased; she pretty was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do her any good.

"Potter and her friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, a slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was she in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't she at the Halloween feast?"

While Mad, Shannon, Harry, Ron and Hermione all launched into an explanation about the death day party Holly glared at the wall in front of her. 

". . . There were hundreds of ghosts, they’ll tell you we were there -"

"But why not join the feast afterward?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"

Ron, Harry and Hermione looked at Holly.

"Because - because -" Holly said, feeling anxious and angry, her heart thumping very fast; something told her it would sound very far-fetched if she told them she had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but she (and Harry) could hear. "Because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," she said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

“We wanted to change out of our costumes quickly. They were getting hot,” said Shannon as she fanned herself, her lying was flawless.

"And we weren't hungry," said Ron loudly as his stomach gave a huge rumble.

Snape's nasty smile widened.

"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if she were deprived of certain privileges until she is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel she should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until she is ready to be honest." Holly’s heart sank. No…

"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the girl playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."

Dumbledore was giving Holly a searching look. His twinkling light- blue gaze made Holly feel as though she were being thoroughly X-rayed.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.

Snape looked furious. So did Filch.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

Mad and Harry had cover Shannon and Holly’s mouth before they could curse Filch out.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep -"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause. If the situation wasn’t so serious and everything, Holly would’ve snorted but she couldn’t, because that would probably land her into more trouble.

"You may go," Dumbledore said to Holly, Mad, Shannon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Holly squinted at her friends' darkened faces.

"D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"

"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

“They probably ship you off to the loony bin before you could even explain. That’s what they did with my cousin.” commented Shannon.

Something in Ron and Shannon's voices made Holly narrow her eyes and ask, "You do believe me, don't you?"

"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But -you must admit it's weird......”

“Si, no offense, Holly. It’s not that we don’t believe you, but it’s just really difficile to believe, you know…” said Mad, not being able to look Holly in the eyes. 

“I know it's weird and hard to believe," said Harry. "The whole thing's weird, especially since I didn’t hear it either. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber Has Been Opened... What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, it rings a sort of bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once ... might've been Bill . . . ."

"And what on earth's a Squib?" said Harry. Holly pursed her lips, not really interested in the conversation.

To Harry’s surprise, Ron stifled a snigger.

"Well - it's not funny really - but as its Filch,” he said."A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs is quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter."

Shannon slapped Ron over the head.

“Hey! Not all Squibs are bitter! My dad happens to be one and he still was able to be named heir to his family through his hard work and determination!” defended Shannon, glaring at Ron. 

A clock chimed somewhere.

"Midnight," said Holly. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else." She pushed back her bangs, feeling tired and disgruntled.

For a few days, the school could talk of little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. Holly had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone, but she always steered out of the way before he caught a sight of her.

When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red eyed through the corridors, lunging out at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly' and "looking happy."

Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover.

"But you haven't really got to know Mrs. Norris," Ron told her bracingly. "Honestly, we're much better off without her." Ginny's lip trembled. "Stuff like this doesn't often happen at Hogwarts," Ron assured her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled. I'm only joking -" Ron added hastily as Ginny blanched and Holly gave him a stern look.

The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could Harry and Ron get much response from her, not even Holly when she asked what her best friend was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out. Shannon, Mad, and Christian were busy doing some investigating.

Holly had the unfortunate luck of being held back in Potions, where Snape made her stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. After she was done with it, and a hurried lunch, she went upstairs to the library to meet Ron and Harry. There she saw Justin Finch- Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming toward her. She had just opened her mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of her, turned abruptly, and sped off in the opposite direction. Holly furrowed her eyebrows at him in confusion.

She found Christian, Harry, and Ron at the back of the library, measuring their History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three-foot-long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards."

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short,” said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny.”

"Where is she?" asked Holly, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling her own homework. Four feet filled with her freestyle writing.

"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves. "Looking for another book with Shannon and Mad. I think they’re trying to read the whole library before Christmas."

“What did Snape make you do?” Harry asked, looking at Holly. “Scrape off the tapeworms, no big deal. Hey do I smell or something?” Holly asked remembering what happened she arrived in the library. 

“No more than usual.” said Ron, getting punch in the arm. She told Harry and Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from her.

"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great -"

Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them; Mad and Shannon following close behind her with the exact same expressions.

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Holly, across Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

“Shannon, ‘accidentalmente’ burned ours and we haven’t got our nuovo ones delivered yet.” Mad added as Shannon and her took the seats beside Hermione and Holly.

“In my defense, I was left unsupervised and bored.” said Shannon. “Add those things together and you’re bound to get something set on fire~”

"Why do you want it?" said Harry. Holly looked down at the table, playing with her necklace.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"What's that?" said Harry quickly.

"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else-"

"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it -"

"I only need another two inches, come on-"

The bell rang. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering. Holly just walked behind them three, quietly, watching other students hurry by, occasionally bumping into them. Mad, Christian, and Shannon leaving the four to go to their class.

History of Magic was the dullest subject on their schedule. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard.

Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again. He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before.

Holly simply doodled around on a piece of parchment. She looked around to see what everyone else was doing and saw how everyone was sleeping. She was, however, startled in her embarrassed state as Hermione put up her hand.

Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed.

"Miss - er -?"

"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.

Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville Longbottom's elbow slipped off his desk.

Professor Binns blinked.

"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise like chalk s!-ping and continued, "In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers --"

He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again.

"Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"

Professor Binns was looking at her in amazement.

"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale -"

But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. Holly, who had gotten back control, could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest.

"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see... the Chamber of Secrets...”

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."

He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued. Holly looked at him attentively, scribbling down as many notes as she could.

"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school."

Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.

"Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said. "But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing.

"Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

There was silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."

Hermione's hand was back in the air.

"Sir - what exactly do you mean by the `horror within' the Chamber?"

"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice. Holly bit her lower lip, her mind racing faster.

The class exchanged nervous looks.

"I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster."

"But, sir," said Seamus Finnigan, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"

"Nonsense, O'Flaherty," said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing -"

"But, Professor," piped up Parvati Patil, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it -"

"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns. "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore -"

"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't -" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns had had enough.

"That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built as much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"

And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and looked away, pulling out her necklace and fumbling with it, her mind raced back to the time she stood in the corridor, looking at the expressions of the students.


	43. Bk 2: Ch16

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told Harry, Holly and Hermione as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home-OW!”

“May I remind you that Mad, Shannon, and Christian are in Slytherin and have been nothing but kind to us!” Holly reprimanded as she slapped Ron’s head. Even so Holly still saw Hermione nod fervently, but the former didn't say anything. Her stomach had just dropped unpleasantly. She looked towards Harry and saw his down expression. Of course she knew about Harry and the Sorting Hat.

However, they had never told Ron and Hermione that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting them in Slytherin. Holly could still remember the little voice in her ear as if it was yesterday.

As they were shunted along in the throng, Colin Creevey went past.

"Hi, Holly and Harry!"

"Hello, Colin," said Harry automatically. Holly waved to the small boy.

"Holly - Holly - a boy in my class has been saying you're –”

But Colin was so small he couldn’t fight against the tide of people bearing him toward the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you!" and he was gone.

"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered, looking at her best friend, who simply looked away.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," said Holly, not really caring. At least she knew why Justin Finch- Fletchley had run away from her at lunchtime.

"People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust.

“The rumor mill is the most efficient system in this place.” commented Holly.

“But if they think you’re the heir of Slytherin,” said Hermione. “Then they must believe Harry is one too,”

The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty, meeting up with Mad, Shannon, and Christian. 

"D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione.

"I don't know," she said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be - well - human."

“Technically he can cure her, but the ingredients just aren’t ready yet. That’s just how potion making can be sometimes. That’s why I outsource my ingredients!” Shannon corrected as they walked along with their Gryffindor friends. 

“And because you stink at Herbology.” remarked Christian.

“Shut it, Christian!? Patience maybe a virtue, but my opinion is who needs damn virtues when you can manipulate the situation right now!~”

As they spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened." Holly straightened up subconsciously.

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.

“How do we keep getting ourselves in these situations?” Shannon asked, face palming.

“Bad fortuna.” Mad answered

They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Holly, dropping her bag and getting on her hands and knees so that he could crawl along, searching for clues, Shannon pulling out a magnifying glass from her robes. The group had given up on asking the girl how she did it. Shannon would just reply “Do what?” and make them feel like idiots for asking.

"Scorch marks!" Harry said. "Here - and here -"

"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny . . . ."

“What?” Holly crawled over to where Hermione was pointing, the topmost pane, where around twenty or so spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long, slivery thread was dangling like a rope there, as though they had all climbed it in their burry to get over and outside.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.

"No," said Holly, "have you, Ron? Harry?" 

“It’s almost seems like they’re panicking to get away.” Shannon commented.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Ron standing behind Harry and Mad, seemingly fighting the impulse to run away.

"What's up?" said Holly, confused.

"I - don't - like - spiders," said Ron tensely.

“Siete seri, Ron.” said Mad, crossing her arms. 

"I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in Potions loads of times ......”

"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move....”

The girls giggled. Shannon scribbled down some notes for later.

"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick .... You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and... "

He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh. Mad made no effort to hide her giggles and Shannon was saying how she would’ve preferred the spider through her laughter. Holly just shook her head at them and looked back at the spiders. Harry, who was supporting Ron, quickly voiced his concerns, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door."

He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girls' toilet."

“No boys allowed.” added Shannon. “Unless you want to get shocked into next Tuesday.”

"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look." Holly nodded at Harry, who seemed to have looked over to get her ‘approval’, Christian doing the same with Shannon, who got slap to the head as a reply.

And ignoring the large OUT OF ORDER sign, Hermione opened the door.

It was the gloomiest, most depressing girls’ bathroom the boys had ever set foot in. (“It’s the only girls’ bathroom they’ve ever set foot in.”) Under a large, cracked, and spotted mirror were a row of chipped sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by the stubs of a few candles, burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges.

While others walked in cautiously, Holly, Mad, and Shannon simply strolled in, not really bothered with the change in temperature or building. Sure it was very old looking and creepy, but for some reason, Holly had gotten pretty used to it by being at Hogwarts.

Hermione, on the other hand, put her fingers to her lips and set off toward the end stall. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"

Harry and Ron went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating above the tank of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin. Holly quietly leaned against one of the sinks, watching them; Shannon teasing Christian about being in the girl’s room.

"This is a girls' bathroom," Myrtle said, eyeing Ron and Harry suspiciously. "They're not girls."

"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how er - nice it is in here."

She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor.

"Ask her if she saw anything," Harry mouthed at Hermione.

"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at him.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly. "We wanted to ask -"

"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle, in a voice choked with tears. "I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead -"

"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Harry only -"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"

"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."

"Did you see anyone near here that night?" said Holly, pushing herself forward and walking over to them. “If you have, please tell us.”

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself Then, of course, I remembered that I'm - that I'm "

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight, although from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend. Holly pursed her lips and shook her head.

“Nice going, Ron. Real liscio.” Mad said as she rolled her eyes. Shannon examined herself making sure all the water had hit Christian instead of her.

Harry and Ron, on the other hand, stood with their mouths open, but Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle .... Come on, let's go."

They had barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all four of them jump.

"RON!"

Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, and an expression of complete shock on his face.

"That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. "What were you -?"

"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know -"

Percy swelled in a manner that reminded them forcefully of Mrs Weasley.

"Get - away - from - there -" Perry said, striding toward them and starting to bustle them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner -"

"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"

"That's what I told Ginny," said Percy fiercely, "but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business -"

"You don't care about Ginny," said Ron, whose ears were now reddening. "You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy -"

"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work or I'll write to Mum!"

And he strode off, the back of his neck as red as Ron's ears. Holly face palmed, not really wanting to say anything or, well do anything. She just felt like going to bed and sleeping forever.

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 shut.

To Harry's surprise, Hermione followed suit. He looked at Holly and saw her sitting there quietly, not really interesting in her homework. She played with her necklace, sitting in a weird position that probably was comfortable for her. Her head rested on one arm of the armchair and her legs off the other. She had her hair over the side and eyes closed but listening; Mad and Shannon in similar contemplative states as she pet Christian, who was snuggled up to the fire in his dog form. 

"Who can it be, though?" Hermione said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggleborns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggleborns are scum?"

He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy -"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him - `You'll be next, Mudbloods!'- come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him -"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" said Holly, mockingly. “You must be joking,”

“Yeah, what’s next? Thinking he’ll try to off Dumbledore!” Shannon joked. “That’s never gonna happen!”

“He’s a jerk, but he’s too stupid and too weak to do something like that.” Mad reasoned. “And contrario to popolare belief, Muggleborn Slytherins DO exist. If someone wants to get rid Muggleborns then they’d be hurting Slytherin house as well.”

"Still…look at his family," said Harry, closing his books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

"They could’ve had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son......”

“It’s not uncommon in wizarding famiglie…” stated Madigan.

"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible......”

“Oh come on, Hermione!” Holly opened her eyes and looked towards her best friend. “You too?”

“Sorry, Holly,” said Hermione, sheepishly.

"But how do we prove it?" said Harry darkly. Shannon raised her hand. “That doesn’t involve explosions or torturing somebody.”

“What about-”

“No dissections either.”

“Maybe we-”

“Or monkeys and fake moustaches.”

"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect -"

“So the usual.” joked Shannon.

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us."

"But that's impossible," Harry said as Ron laughed. 

Shannon cackled like a mad man. “Poor pessimistic ~~and possibly homosexual~~ Harry, you can’t spell ‘impossible’ without ‘I’m possible’~”

“That’s right, Shannon. Though una volta we let Holly in and never heard the end of it. Now we sneak her in when we need to practica.”

“But Draco would blow his top if he saw you four in there~” added Shannon, trying to mirror Malfoy’s reaction. “Might make for an interesting picture~”

"Not if it’s not us he sees," said Hermione, getting confused looks. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

“Hermione! You’re a genius!”

"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together.

"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago -"

"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.

"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

“What about Holly,” Harry said, looking towards his sister who used her metamorphagus ability to change herself to look like Mad and back to herself. 

“She can change herself,”

“No, I don’t want her involved in this,”

“I’m right here, Harry, I can hear you,” Holly huffed. “And no, I don’t like this,”

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins forever?"

“You wish you could look like me, Weasley.” Shannon snapped her fingers at Ron.

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library. There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: You needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.”

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance ......”

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick . . . ."

Holly let out a deep sigh, while Shannon and Mad smirked.

The next day, at breakfast as Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Holly were about to sit down, when Holly was tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see the Ravenclaw girl that usually hung around Becca. She told the others to head to the table without her, saying she’ll meet up with them soon.

“What do you want…?” Holly asked not knowing the girls name.

“Abigail Clarke, same year as you. You can call me Abby. It’s nice to finally meet you in the physical world.” The girl fired off in an innocent but smart tone. Holly raised her brow at the girl’s last statement.

“Er, okay. Um, what do you want exactly?”

“I would like to apologize to you for what Becca did.”

“I’d take it more seriously if she was the one saying sorry.”

“She’s really not a bad person. She just gets…emotional when her sister is involved.”

“That’s no excuse for going bananas on her sister.”

“There were no bananas involved, Madigan and Becca were fighting.” stated Abby, tilting her head in confusion. Holly looked at the girl skeptically.

“I meant- Nevermind, sorry Abby but I don’t think I’m not going to see eye to eye with Becca anytime soon.”

“Of course not, you are significantly taller than Becca so there is-”

“I mean that I’ll only accept an apology coming from Becca. It was nice meeting you, Abby.” Holly said to the short strawberry blonde, as she turned to leave with her friends.

“Please watch where it is you step. You don’t want to miss anything lying on the ground.”


	44. Bk 2: Ch17

Ever since the disastrous episode of the pixies in DADA class, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to his class, much to the relief of Holly. Not to sound rude, this man was stupid beyond measure, and she simply could not stand it. Anyway, instead, Lockhart chose to read passages from his books to them, which Holly wondered was better than before or worse, and sometimes he re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits.

He usually picked Harry or Holly to help him with these reconstructions; so far, Holly had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager whom Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, Harry a yeti with a head cold, and Holly a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with her. Holly wished that she could hit him over the head and save everyone from going to through this torture.

Thankfully, in the next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Holly was not chosen to come forward, but instead Harry was hauled to the front of the class, this time acting a werewolf. If he hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, he would have refused to do it. Holly would have punched his lights out.

"Nice loud howl, Harry - exactly - and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this - slammed him to the floor - thus with one hand, I managed to hold him down - with my other, I put my wand to his throat -I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan - go on, Harry - higher than that - good - the fur vanished - the fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

 Holly stared at him with a ‘Seriously?’ face, it sounded so wrong.

 The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

 "Homework - compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"

 The class began to leave. Holly was the first of the students to jump out of her seat and towards the back of the room, where she was joined by Ron and Hermione, and a little later, by Harry.

 "Ready?" Harry muttered.

 "Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right..."

“I still don’t think this a great idea,” Holly mumbled. “If you’re all so interested, let me go, no need of this entire Polyjuice potion situation,”

 “You can’t go in there alone!” Harry whisper-shouted.

“Then let me take Christian, Mad, and Shannon! They can help, too.”

“No, I’m not leaving you alone!”

Harry and Holly stubbornly stared each other down, until both of them turned their heads in a huff, not talking to each other.

Hermione, on the other hand, approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, Harry and Ron right behind her. Holly unhappily walked behind them, trying to stay out of Lockhart’s sight.

"Er - Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to - to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow-acting venoms—”

"Ah, Gadding with Ghouls!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?"

"Oh, yes," said Hermione eagerly. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer –"

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book-signings."

He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.

"So, Harry and Holly," said Lockhart, while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players......”

Holly made a grossed out face and grabbed Harry’s arm, pulling him along as she hurried off after Ron and Hermione before she’d lose it.

“That man can be SO annoying! ” she raged. “If he was a Quidditch player, then I’m the Minister of Magic! I’ll tell you one these days I’m going to take one of his horrible books and cram it-”

"I don't believe it," Harry said as the four of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed -"

"He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran toward the library.

"Just because he said you were the best student of the year -"

They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.

"Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let go.

"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly. Holly face palmed at her friend.

"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart will sign anything if it stands still long enough."

Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and mouldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.

Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of- order bathroom once again. Mad, Shannon, and Christian already helping to set things up. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.

Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the seven of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from just a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head, which Shannon seemed to gush over.

"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Harry sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.

“Those looks of pain vary depending on the person~” chimeed Shannon.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe.

“Well we are second years and it is a sixth year potion~ Just makes it more exciting~”

 "Lacewing flies, leeches, flux-weed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store- cupboard, we can help ourselves .... Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a boomslang. Some of this stuff Shannon already has. That’ll be tricky, too and of course a bit of whomever we want to change into."

 "Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it -"

The girls continued as though they hadn't heard him.

"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last......”

“With Hermione and me working on it. It will be nothing less than perfect.” Shannon said swelling out her chest, having the highest rated Potions grade last year.

Ron turned, speechless, to Harry, who had another worry.

"D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea......”

Hermione shut the book with a snap.

"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggleborns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in –”

"I never thought I’d see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Harry as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.

"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days ... I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggleborns in the school by then!" But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again and Shannon giving him an innocently menacing smile, and he added swiftly. "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

“Hey, potion making is not a quick and easy-peezy lemon squeezy process, Mr Impatient Pants. When it comes to potions like this time is the key to making it right.”

 “You know what,” Holly spoke up. “If you guys are so interested in this, let me help make the potion,”

 “Holly—”

 “No, no, she’s right.” Harry said. “No offense Hermione but Holly’s the best in Potions among us,”

“AHEM!”

“Not counting you that is, Shannon.” corrected Harry.

“You’re damn right, Gryffindork!”

However, while Hermione was checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to Harry and Holly, "It'll be a lot less hassle if one of you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow.”

On Saturday morning, Holly woke up pretty early, however she did not bother getting out of bed. Instead, she lay there, thinking about the coming Quidditch match against Slytherin. It was perfectly true to say that she was extremely nervous, at what Wood would say if Gryffindor lost but to her losing was not an option. She didn’t care if they had better brooms; she knew how to use hers better.

However she had never wanted to beat Slytherin so badly before, maybe it was because of the superior brooms but it was also because of Malfoy. He does not belong on the pitch. After lying in the bed for half an hour, she stretched and slipped out of the bed. She quickly got dressed and pulled her hair into her usual ponytail. She saw Hermione sleeping and sighed, standing in the middle of the dorm room, lost in thought, or just lost. She didn’t know what she was thinking.

Holly shook her head and made sure her necklace was secure around her neck and went down to breakfast early, where she found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled at the long, empty table, all looking uptight and not speaking much. Holly was surprised that even Fred and George weren’t their usual talkative (and somewhat annoying) selves. Even Shannon’s cheering in her handmade Gryffindor cheerleading outfit didn’t seem to help. Holly decided to just sit next to Harry and get herself a toast and jam.

As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Their friends came hurrying over to wish Harry and Holly good luck as they entered the locker rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, and then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.

 "Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -"

"Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August"

Holly snorted.

"- and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."

Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Holly, who straightened up at everyone’s attention.

 "It'll be down to you, Holly, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Holly, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

 "So no pressure, Holly" said Fred, winking at her, George smirk-smiled at her, which subconsciously caused Holly to grip her broomstick harder.

As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too; except for Mad, Christian, and Shannon who were cheering with Ron and Hermione.

“You don’t have to die,” Holly’s attention snapped towards George who walked past her to his position. She raised her brow, not getting why he had said it like that.

 Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three ... two ... one. . .

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Holly flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.

"All right there, Scarface?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath her as though to show off the speed of his broom. Holly had no time to reply (by punching him in the gut). At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward her; she avoided it so narrowly that she felt it ruffle her hair as it passed.

"Close one, Holly!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. Holly watched Fred give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but to their shock, the Bludger changed direction in mid-air and shot straight for Holly again.

Holly gasped and dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Holly’s head. What the bloody hell was happening?!

Holly put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. She could still hear the Bludger whistling along behind her. She was the only one being trailed around by a Bludger and it kind of scared her. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this; it was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible....

Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Holly quickly ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.

"Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted to Holly, the Bludger pelted after her once more and Holly was forced to fly off at full speed.

 It had started to rain; Holly could feel heavy drops fall onto her face. She had no idea what was going on in the rest of the game until she heard Lee Jordan say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero –”

The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Holly out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that Holly could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it. She bit her lower lip, hard and regretted it the moment she felt blood sweep out slightly.

"Someone's - tampered - with - this - Bludger -" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Holly, who dove out of its way.

 "We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Holly’s nose at the same time. “SHIT.” Holly cursed, not understanding what was happening.

Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Holly, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.

 "What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Holly, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Holly alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then...." said Wood, anxiously.

Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Holly clearly could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction.

"Listen," said Holly as Madam Hooch came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my shirt. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."

 "Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."

 Wood was looking from Holly to the Weasleys.

“Oliver, this is insane," said Harry angrily. "You can't let Holly deal with that thing on her own. Let's ask for an inquiry –”

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Holly. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! I’m not some little girl who needs protecting! Come on, Oliver; tell them to leave me alone! I can do it!"

"This is your entire fault," George said angrily to Wood. “`Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell her -"

Madam Hooch had joined them.

"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the determined look on Holly’s face.

"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Holly -leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."

“Holly–” Started Fred and George as others retreated but was cut off.

“Knock it—”

 “You don’t have to –”

 “We need to win this!”

Fred and George stopped and stared down at the girl in front of them, not willing to back off the subject. Holly didn’t back off either and stared back just as furiously. The twins, finally, let out a sigh and nodded.

“Okay,” Fred said.

“But be careful,” George said.

Holly sighed. "Honestly, sometimes you guys can be as bad as Harry."

The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Holly kicked hard into the air and heard the tell-tale whoosh of the Bludger behind her. Higher and higher Holly climbed; she looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled. Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open, rain ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger. “Ugh,”

Holly could hear laughter from the crowd; to focused on finding the snitch to care, but the rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn't change direction as quickly as Holly could; so she began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goal posts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood.

 A whistling in Holly’s ear told her the Bludger had just missed her again; she turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy as Holly was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in mid-air to dodge the Bludger, and she fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her; and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it - the Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear - and Malfoy, busy laughing at Holly, hadn't seen it. Holly slightly smirked.

 For an agonizing moment, Holly hung in mid-air, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case she looked up and saw the Snitch. Then—

_WHAM_


	45. Bk 2: Ch18

_WHAM_

Holly had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit her at last, smashed into her elbow, and she felt her arm break. Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her arm, she slid sideways on her rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, her right arm dangling useless at her side - the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time aiming at her face - Holly swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged in her numb brain as she stifled a painful cry: get to Malfoy.

Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Holly was attacking him.

"What the -" he gasped, careening out of Holly’s way.

Holly took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs, and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out. Oh no!

With a splattering thud she hit the mud and rolled off her broom. Her arm was hanging at a very strange angle; riddled with pain, she heard, as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. She focused on the Snitch clutched in her good hand. Holly groaned as she tried to roll over.

"Aha," she said vaguely. "We've won."

And then she fainted.

Holly came around, rain falling on her face, still lying on the field, with someone leaning over her and then she saw a glitter of teeth.

"Oh, no, not you, I must be in hell." she groaned.

"Doesn't know what she's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around them. "Not to worry, Holly. I'm about to fix your arm."

 "No!” said Holly quietly, in too much to move. "I’d rather keep it like this, thanks......”

“We need to get her to Pomfrey!” said Harry, white as a sheet.

She tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby and groaned again.

 "I don't think I want a photo of this, Colin," she said loudly.

 "Lie back, Holly," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times -"

 "Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Holly through clenched teeth.

"She should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Holly, really spectacular, your best yet, I’d say -"

Through the thicket of legs around her, Holly spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight. _Oh God, maybe I should have listened to them._

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

"No - don't -" said Holly weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at her arm. Her eyes widened.

A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Holly’s shoulder and spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt as though her arm was being deflated. She didn't dare look at what was happening. She had shut her eyes, her face turned away from her arm, but her worst fears were realized as the people above her gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking away madly. Her arm didn't hurt anymore - nor did it feel remotely like an arm.

“What fuck did you do to her, bastardo?!” she heard Mad scream, who had grabbed Lockhart by the collar.

“My Prince, are you okay?! Does it hurt?!” she heard Shannon scream.

 "Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind.”

“You made it worse?!” spat Harry to Lockhart, he quickly turned to his sister. “Sis, can you feel your…um…arm?”

“No need to worry, Holly, just toddle up to the hospital wing - ah, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort her? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."

Holly got onto her feet, feeling dizzy and strangely lopsided. Taking in a deep breath, she looked down at her right side. And what she saw nearly made her pass out again.

Poking out of the end of her robes was what looked like a thick, flesh- colored rubber glove. She tried to move her fingers. Nothing happened.

Lockhart hadn't mended Holly’s bones. He had removed them.

It was safe to say that Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.

 "You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back –”

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately, looking at his twin sister.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Holly a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night......”

Harry and Ron waited outside the curtain drawn around Holly’s bed while Hermione helped her into her pajamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve. Holly was just glad that Hermione hadn’t asked any questions about the scars that littered her back, though she could tell her friend really wanted to know.

“Ugh,” Holly groaned. “I want to punch that man out,”

“You want to punch everyone out.” Hermione said. “Honestly, you’ve even started saying that in your sleep,”

“You watch me sleeping?” Holly smirked. “Sorry, Mione but you’re not my type.”

Hermione blushed and whacked her left arm. “Stop it, Holly!”

“Okay, okay, sorry! It was a joke!” Holly chuckled slightly.

"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain. "If Holly had wanted deboning she would have asked."

“Who would want that?”

 "Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Holly?"

 "No," said Holly, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either and the regrowing process sounds like it’ll hurt more by the sound of it."

 When she swung herself onto the bed, her arm flapped pointlessly. Holly made a face.

Harry, Ron and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.

"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to her. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business.” Holly sniffed at the beaker and gagged.

Skele-Gro was horrible. It burned Holly’s mouth and throat as it went down, making her cough and splutter, almost throwing away the beaker. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to help Holly gulp down some water. "We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face... he looked ready to kill......”

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry as Holly sank back onto her pillows. Harry looked at the Skele-Gro and made a face, “Hope it tastes better than that,”

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron. The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team along with Mad, Shannon, and Christian had arrived to see Holly.

“My Prince your okay!” rejoiced Shannon, as she pulled Holly into her chest. “I was so worried about you! Just think of what that bastard did to your precious bones!”

“Shannon…”

“Your beautifully symmetrical metacarpals!”

“Shannon…”

“And your lovely ulna!”

“Shannon! You’re suffocating Holly!” screamed Mad.

Shannon finally snapped out of her ranting, looking down she realized that the redheaded Gryffindor girl had stopped moving after being smothered in Shannon’s busty chest for too long.

“Sorry, I’m still getting used to these chubby chesticles.” said Shannon as she released her friend. Holly gasped for air, falling back down onto the bed.

"Unbelievable flying, Holly." said Fred. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."

 They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Holly’s bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This girl needs rest, she's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"

Holly looked at them leave and saw that Fred and George hadn’t moved. She looked at them, not knowing what they were still doing here. Holly pushed herself back and sat up slightly.

“Why are you two still here?”

“That was really reckless of you there, and that’s coming from us.” Fred said, quietly.

 “Whatever.” Holly let out a sigh. “I did what I needed to do to win.”

 “You need to be careful next time,” George continued.

“Beating the Slytherins and Malfoy isn’t worth more than you,” Fred finished.

Holly faced turned red, not understanding the emotion she was feeling. She could feel her heartbeat quicken and the necklace that was fastened around her neck. Fred and George suddenly smiled at her, reaching out and ruffling her hair.

“Hey, what was that for!” Holly barked, not liking when people touched her hair, one of the reasons she kept it in a ponytail. The feeling was gone.  

“Get well soon, little seeker,” they chuckled. “We need to run before Madam Pomfrey finds us still here,”

And Holly was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her limp arm and confused mind. She fell back onto the bed with a ‘thud’.

“Why are they such dummies?!” she screamed to herself.

Hours and hours later, Holly woke up suddenly, in pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain: her arm now felt as if it was full of large splinters. For a second, she thought that was what had woken her up. Then, with a thrill of horror, she realized that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark. Her eyes widened.

"Get off!" she said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"

The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Holly through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.

"Holly and Harry Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Holly and Harry Potter. Ah madam, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Holly and Harry Potter go back home when they missed the train?"

 Holly heaved herself up on her pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.

"What're you doing here?" she said. "And how did you know we missed the train?"

Dobby's lip trembled and Holly was seized by a sudden suspicion, she narrowed her eyes.

"It was you!" she said slowly. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"

"Indeed yes, madam," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Holly and Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward" - he showed Holly ten long, bandaged fingers - "but Dobby didn't care, madam, for he thought Holly and Harry Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Holly and Harry Potter would get to school another way!"

He was rocking backward and forward, shaking his ugly head.

"Dobby was 'so shocked when he heard Holly and Harry Potter were back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, madam......”

Holly slumped back onto her pillows, staring at the house elf, feeling a tiny bit sorry for what had happened to Dobby, until she remembered what he did to them.

"You nearly got Harry, Ron and I expelled," she said fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."

Dobby smiled weakly.

"Dobby is used to death threats, madam. Dobby gets them five times a day at home."

He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore; looking so pathetic that Holly felt her anger recede in spite of herself.

"Why do you wear that thing, Dobby?" she asked curiously.

"This, ma’am?" said Dobby, plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, madam, Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, madam. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, madam, for then he would be free to leave their house forever."

Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Holly and Harry Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make -"

 "Your Bludger?" said Holly, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger?! You made that Bludger try and kill me?!"

"Not kill you, madam, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Holly and Harry Potters’ life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here madam! Dobby only wanted Holly and Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

"Oh, is that all?" spat Holly angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"

"Ah, if Holly Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what they mean to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, madam! We house-elfs were treated like vermin, madam! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, madam," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. Holly pursed her lips.

"But mostly, madam, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Holly and Harry Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, madam, and Holly and Harry Potter shone like beacons of hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would never end, madam... And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Holly and Harry Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more—”

Dobby froze, horror-struck, then grabbed Holly’s water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. Holly flinched at seeing that. A second later, he crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby. . ."

"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Holly whispered. "And did you say it's been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!"

She quickly seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched toward the water jug. "But I'm not Muggle-born - how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"

"Ah, madam, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Holly and Harry Potter must not be here when they happen - go home, Holly Potter, go home. Holly Potter must not meddle in this, madam, 'tis too dangerous -"

"Who is it, Dobby?" Holly asked, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"

"Dobby can't, madam, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Holly Potter, go home!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" said Holly fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened -"

"Holly Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Holly and Harry Potter must not -"

Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Holly heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside. Her eyes widened.

"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. There was a loud crack, and Holly’s fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. She slumped back into bed, her wide green eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer.

Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long woolly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed. Holly narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Holly’s bed out of sight. Holly lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs.”

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Ms Potter."

Holly’s eyes widened and her stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, she raised herself a few inches so she could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face. Her heart skipped a beat in horror.

It was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think ... If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate - who knows what might have -"

The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.

"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly.

Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.

"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey.

A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Holly, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.

"Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly. "All melted..."

"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

"It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."

Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.

"But, Albus... surely... who?"

"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how . . . ." And from what Holly could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, the latter didn't understand this any better than she did.


	46. Bk 2: Ch19

Holly woke up on Sunday morning, tired, to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight, and her arm re-boned but very stiff. She stretched a little before realizing last night’s events and quickly sat up, looking straight to where Colin was, but the bed had been blocked from view by high curtains Holly had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that she was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching her arm and fingers.

"All in order," she said as Holly clumsily fed herself porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."

Holly finished her breakfast as quickly as she could and got dressed before hurrying off to the Gryffindor Tower. She needed to tell the others about Colin and Dobby, but there weren’t there. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and went to look for them, wondering where they could have got to.

When Holly went to look around the library, she saw Percy Weasley strolling out of it, looking in far better spirits than the last time they’d met.  "Oh, hello, Holly," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup you earned fifty points!"

"You haven't seen Harry, Ron or Hermione, have you?" said Holly, looking around.

"No, I haven't," said Percy, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet.....”

Holly forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She wondered why there were in there so soon, if they were. She made sure that there was no one around (Filch or well, the prefects) she opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall. Holly pursed her lips.

"It's me," she said, closing the door behind her. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and she saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.

“Holly!" she said.

“Are you trying to give us heart attacks?”

“Shannon, we’re too giovani for that.”

"You gave us such a fright - come in how's your arm?"

"Fine," said Holly, squeezing into the stall. She saw the cauldron perched on the toilet, a crackling fire underneath it.

“Stay back, Holly’s armed.” joked Christian, getting groans from the others.

 "We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained as Holly, with difficulty, locked the stall again. It was really cramped with all of them in there. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

Holly looked over the potion and the ingredients as she started to tell them about Colin, but Harry interrupted.

"We already know - we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going -"

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match; he took it out on Colin."

“Heaven knows, how he did it though.” added Shannon with a sigh. “I just have this feeling in the back of cranium that we’re wrong…”

"There's something else," said Holly, tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion, narrowing her eyes. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked up, amazed. Holly told them everything Dobby had told her - or hadn't told her. The other three, Harry, Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open; Mad, Shannon and Christian trying to make sense of any of it.

 "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione said.

 "This settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, helping Shannon prod leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself - pretend to be a suit of armor or something - I've read about Chameleon Ghouls -"

“But what kind of spettro can petrify someone?” asked Mad. “Maybe it’s a modificato version of the full-body bind curse?”

 "You read too much, Hermione, Mad," said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at Holly.

 "So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm,” He shook his head. "You know what, Holly? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."

“If he’s tries to lay another finger on My Prince I’ll…I’ll…Well revenge is below me, but accidents do happen.”

When they all left the bathroom Hermione pulled Mad, Shannon, and her aside and told the boys that they would meet them in the common room. The girls pulled Holly down a corridor and into an empty classroom.

“Holly, I want to know about those scars.” Hermione said, looking her friend in the eyes.

“Woah, what is this about scars?” asked Shannon, looking at her and Mad looking at Holly in shock.

“Were you hurt that badly?” questioned Mad.

Hermione was quick to answer. “I saw them when I helped her change. They were all over her sides and back. There was a bunch of them. What happened?”

“Can you guys just leave it alone? I got those a long time ago. It’s really no big deal.” emitted Holly. Though when she said ‘a long time ago’ she was referring to this summer, but she would never let them know that. She did not want to imagine the looks of pity she would get or the trouble that would come from it. She could already see the newspaper headlines ‘Potter Twins Abused by Muggle Relatives!’

“Why won’t you answer my question?” asked Hermione, who looked like was going to cry. Before Holly could respond, Mad spoke up.

“Enough, Hermione. Holly ovviamente doesn’t want to talk about it, so don’t pressione her into it. It’s not right.”

“Yeah, I’m sure Holly will tell us when she is ready.” said Shannon.

Hermione open her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it. “Alright, talk to me, when you’re ready. I’ll always be there for you.”

“So will we.” added Mad and Shannon.

As they left to go to the common room Holly gave her thanks to Mad and Shannon.

“Don’t worry about it, girl. We Slytherins know the importance of secrets…” remarked Shannon, smiling with sad eyes. “Specialmente the less than stellar famiglia secrets.” finished Mad, sporting a similar expression.

“We all have are scars. They remind us where we’ve been, but they don’t have to dictate where we’re going.”

“Shannon, did you just get empathetic for like a minute?” asked Holly, shocked.

“No way, you must be losing your mind, girl!~ I’m the bitchiest bitch who has ever bitched!~ I do what I want, whoever I want, whenever I want~”

The news about Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing spread throughout the entire school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone. Holly would’ve found that funny if it wasn’t that serious.

Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevey in Charms, was distraught, along with Holly, who felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They tried doing the same with Holly, but only ended up with kicked groins and an angry ‘DON’T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!?’ from Holly. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them he was going to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.

Holly tried to talk to Ginny as well, but it wasn’t any use. She might’ve not gotten back all shy again but she hardly said anything. She wondered just what happened to her that she was so quiet. But then she thought maybe it was because of her first time away from home and worse because of Chamber of Secrets getting opened and all.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school, which Holly personally found extremely stupid. On the other hand, Shannon was raking in money from the selling of the items (“Hey I never said they’d start working immediately~” Shannon defended as she counted her money, getting deadpan looks from her friends and a slap on the head from Mad and Holly). Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville said, his round face fearful. "And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Holly, Ron, and Hermione signed her list; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. Mad, Shannon, and Christian had families expecting them for Christmas and couldn’t stay. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.

Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores.

"What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double Potions lesson loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."

Harry and Ron looked at her nervously. Holly rubbed one of her eyes, knowing she couldn’t do anything to help in this. Unless they wanted her to change herself into someone and get it, but as they all knew, Holly wasn’t that skilled at changing herself. She barely came to know about her being able to do so, how could’ve she mastered it in such small period of time.

"I think I’d better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You three will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so.”

Harry smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. Holly, on the other hand, smirked.

Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was Snape's _favorite_ student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry, who knew that if they retaliated they would get detention faster than you could say "Unfair."

Holly, who was fortunately behind Malfoy, smirked and leaned forward and spilled her horned slug jar over his robes, as Mad watched out for Snape. She leaned back and her smirk widened before she quickly turned back to their potion, inwardly laughing.

“Yes!” She mumbled to Mad.

On the other hand, Harry's Swelling Solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things. He was waiting for Hermione's signal, and he hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at his watery potion. When Snape turned and walked off to bully Neville, Hermione caught Harry's eye and nodded.

Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a quick prod with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Knowing he had only seconds, Harry straightened up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air; it landed right on target in Goyle's cauldron.

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a face full and his nose began to swell like a balloon, he slipped over a one of the slug’s slime and fell over; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate - Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Holly saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft - when I find out who did this -"

Holly, in the back, tried not to burst out laughing as she watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips, Holly saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging, and she grinned at her best friend.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

 "If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."

Harry arranged his face into what he hoped was a puzzled expression. Snape was looking right at him, and the bell that rang ten minutes later could not have been more welcome.

"He knew it was me," Harry told Mad, Christian, Shannon, Holly, Ron and Hermione as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."

Shannon quickly took the new ingredients from Hermione and looked through them before throwing them in the cauldron carefully and quickly began to stir it, while trying to keep her glasses from falling in.

"It'll be ready in two weeks," she said. Hermione smiled.

"Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly to Harry. "What can he do?"

"Knowing Snape, something foul," said Harry as the potion frothed and bubbled.

A week later, Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.

 "They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days......”

 "What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.

 "Could be useful," he said to Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"

“Fighting permitted by the school! I’d be sane not to go!” Shannon chimed with a crazy look in her eyes, Christian nodding, going to make sure Shannon doesn’t set anything or anyone on fire.

“I’ve had some dueling experience at my casa, it could be fun.”

They were all for it, Holly thought it would be pretty cool to check out so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd.

"Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young - maybe it'll be him."

“Never would have guessed by looking at him.”

 "As long as it's not -" Holly began to speak, but she ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black. “NOOOO –” Hermione slapped a hand over Holly’s mouth. “SHH!”

“And just like that the dream becomes a nightmare…and not the good kind.” Shannon said gripping her nose.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called ' "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works.”

 "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. Holly groaned again, she knew Snape was far better than Lockhart. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

“Fifty sickles on Snape sending him flying.” Shannon said to Mad, holding up a bag of coins.

“Tu sei il, make it one hundred if Lockhart makes it to the wall?”

“You’re on.”

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Harry's ear. Holly heard him and chuckled.

Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at him like that he'd have been running as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Holly, unexpectedly yawned, her eyes watering. “I need to sleep.”

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Holly murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.

"One - two - three -"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

“Dammit!” Shannon cursed as she handed Mad her winnings.

“Hahaha, always bet on nero, Shan.”

“You really hit the wall with that bet.”

“Cram it, dummy.”

 Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.

 "Who cares?" said Harry, Holly and Ron in unison.

“Given how _alright_ he was before, I’d say it’s an improvement.” chuckled Shannon, high fiving Mad and Christian.

 Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

 "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see . . ."

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me -"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Harry with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Hermione and Ron first.

 "Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan, Baker with your sister, Leyba with Stevenson, Potter -"

Holly moved automatically toward Hermione, not wanting to end up with someone Snape chose.

Snape smiled coldly at Holly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode."

Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Holly of a picture she'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that the girl did not return.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Holly and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three -"

Holly swung her Yew wood wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two": His spell hit Holly so hard she felt as though she'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. She stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Holly pointed her wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!" angrily.

 A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Holly had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Holly hung back, with a vague feeling it would be unsporting to bewitch Malfoy while he was on the floor, but this was a mistake; gasping for breath, Malfoy pointed his wand at Holly’s knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Holly’s legs began to jerk around out of her control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

"Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Holly’s feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Mad and Becca had discarded their wands for their fists and were now being held back by Christian, Abby, and Cassie as Shannon watched in amusement; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; Harry was looking unsure while he stared at Neville and Justin who had hit each other with their spells even when they weren’t partners.

But Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Holly’s eyes widened and she leapt onto Millicent’s back to get her to release. That was quite difficult as she was a lot bigger than she was.

“Let go of my friend, you jerk!”

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan.... Careful there, Miss Fawcett.... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot,”

"I think I’d better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you -"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Ms Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Holly and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

 "Now, Holly," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops -my wand is a little overexcited -"

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Holly looked up angrily at Lockhart and said, "I need to punch somebody," but luckily, well not so luckily, no one heard.

"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.

"Not even a little," said Holly out of the corner of her mouth. She wanted to throw her wand away and punch Malfoy but decided that it wasn’t that great to do in front of Snape.

 Lockhart cuffed Holly merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Holly!"

"What, drop my wand or look like an idiot?"

But Lockhart wasn't listening.

"Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Holly watched, stunned, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape quickly, seeming slightly nervous seeing the sight of Holly standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it......”

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Holly wasn't sure what made her do it. She wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All she knew was that her legs were carrying her forward as though she was on casters and that she had shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him alone!" And miraculously - inexplicably - the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Holly. Holly felt the fear drain out of her. She knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how she knew it, she couldn't have explained.

Holly felt numb, her hair ruffled up due to the little duel with Malfoy.

“Justin, are you-” She looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relieved, or puzzled, or even grateful - but certainly not angry and scared.

"What do you think you're playing at!?" he shouted, and before Holly could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Holly in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Holly didn't like it. She was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then she felt a tugging on the back of her robes.

"Come on," said Harry’s voice in her ear. "Move - come on -"


	47. Bk 2: Ch20

Harry steered her out of the hall, Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Holly didn't have a clue what was going on, and neither Harry or Ron nor Hermione explained anything until they had dragged her all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room. Then Ron pushed Holly into an armchair and said, "You two are a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"We’re what?" said Harry, looking at his best friend.

“A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You two can talk to snakes!"

"I know," said Holly. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. We accidentally set a boa constrictor on our cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story - but it was telling us it had never seen Brazil and we sort of set it free without meaning to that was before we knew we were a witch and a wizard -"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, Holly, this is bad."

"What's bad?" said Holly, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?"

“Of course she did, dummy. That’s why it obviously didn’t attack that Justin kid.” Shannon pointed out.

"What d'you mean? Harry understood me! You were there - you heard me -"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything - no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -"

Harry gaped at him.

"She spoke a different language? But - I didn't realize - how can we speak a language without knowing we can speak it?"

Ron shook his head. All their friends were looking as though someone had died. Holly and Harry couldn't see what was so terrible.

"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" she said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"

"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."

“And the Parselmouth tratto is known to be ereditario. Meaning…” Mad averted her eyes.

Harry's mouth fell open. Holly looked away angrily.  _Great, just great_.

"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole schools going to think you two are his great-great-great-great-grandkids or something -"

"But we’re not," said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.

“Can you be sure of that?” asked Shannon, smiling wide out of nervousness.

"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you two could be."

That night, Holly lay awake for hours. Through a gap in the curtains around her four-poster she watched snow starting to drift past the tower window and wondered...

Could she and her brother be descendants of Salazar Slytherin? She didn't know anything about their father's family, after all. The Dursleys had always forbidden questions about their wizarding relatives.

Quietly, Holly tried to say something in Parseltongue. The words wouldn't come. It seemed she had to be face-to-face with a snake to do it.

 _But I'm in Gryffindor,_  Holly thought.  _The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in here if I had Slytherin blood…It said I wasn’t cunning or ambitious enough…_

 _Ah,_  said a nasty little voice in her brain _, but the Sorting Hat also said you’d do good in Slytherin, don't you remember?_

Holly sat up, feeling uncomfortable. No… if it was so, the hat would’ve NEVER put her in Gryffindor… Would it? She’d see Justin the next day in Herbology and she'd explain that she'd been calling the snake off, not egging it on, which (she thought angrily, pummeling her pillow) any fool should have realized.

Holly slipped out of bed, looking around the dormitory with the little light coming through the window. She looked over and saw that Hermione, along with the rest of the girls, was asleep. Holly let out a sigh; she dragged herself to her wardrobe and pulled out her invisibility cloak.

A few minutes later, Holly found herself walking down the stairs with it. When she came around the common room, she narrowed her eyes when she saw figures sitting there, looking at the fire. Holly pursed her lips and looked at the cloak on her arm and sighed.

“Holly?” Holly’s attention snapped towards the figure and she saw Fred looking over the couch at her, his brother sitting next to him. “George? Fred?” Holly wondered out loud. “What you’re doing- Scratch that I don’t want to know.”

“You really don’t have any faith in us do you?” Fred asked looking hurt, Holly not knowing if it was fake or real.

“I’ll start when you two grow up.” Holly stated taking a chair across from them.

“Now you’re starting to sound like Percy.”

“Don’t make me hit both of you again.”

“What is our little seeker sleeking off to so late at night?” Fred asked, trying to avoid being hit.

Holly sighed as she stretched out on the chair. “I was planning to go to the Astronomy Tower,”

All the mischief on their faces wiped off. “Astronomy Tower? Holly! Are you serious? It’s dangerous.”

“Do you want to get petrified!?”

 “You know how it is these days,” They said.

“Then where am I suppose to go?!” Holly shrieked, as the twins being taken by surprise. All the tears she kept in spilling out. “What are you going to make fun of me now?! Confident and strong Holly Potter bawling like a little girl?! Go on say it?!

She was taken off guard by a pair of arms wrapping around her. She looked up to see George, who scooped her up and placed her on his lap as he sat back down on the couch. Her eyes widened at the softened expression on his face as he touched his forehead to hers.

“Shhh, we aren’t going to make fun of you.” said Fred next to her as she kept crying.

“Deep breaths…It’s okay…You’re okay…” muttered George, softly, his large hands on your back. “It’ll be alright. We’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.”

“Just let it all out.” Fred said as he played with her hair, twisting it around his finger and running his hand through it gently. While George pressed her face into his neck, Holly clutched his shirt as she continued to sob, soaking the fabric. She didn’t say anything, nuzzling against George’s neck. Just continuing to weep and weep as they rubbed her back and said it would all be okay.

She let out all of her pent up emotions. The guilt she felt about Colin, the anger at Malfoy, the fear that she may be the Heir of Slytherin, the annoyance at Justin, and the worry that her friends and brother might get hurt because of her.

It went on for a good fifteen minutes before her tears lightened up, becoming faint hiccups.

“Are you feeling better?” Fred said, offering her a cup of hot chocolate that he must have gone to get while she was crying on George’s lap.

“Mmm-hmm…” Holly nodded as she sipped the chocolately goodness, sliding into a spot between both the twins. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“See what? Do you know what she’s referring to, Forge?”

“No, Gred. I don’t have the slightest clue to what she’s referring to?”

Holly chuckled. “You are such dorks sometimes, you know.”

“But we’re your dorks.” Fred and George said together as they rested their heads on Holly’s shoulders. They just sat there in comfortable silence, as Holly sipped her hot chocolate. When her cup was empty she sat up grabbing her cloak and heading back to her dorm, giving Fred and George a wave. Only run back down to common room. She wrapped her arms around both of them, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks a lot.” Holly said before rushing off to her dorm, leaving the blushing boys behinds.

By next morning, the snow that had begun in the night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, a tricky operation she would entrust to no one else, now that it was so important for the Mandrakes to grow quickly and revive Mrs Norris and Colin Creevey.

Holly tying some ribbon around a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and humming a tune while sitting next to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, while Ron and Hermione used their time off to play a game of wizard chess. Harry was sitting near them, looking at the chessboard, trying to pass hints to Hermione at what to do next.

“What’s with her?” Ron asked looking at the happily humming Holly, getting the attention of Harry and Hermione. Holly was blind to the conversation they were having.

“What do you mean? She seems fine to me.” Hermione said looking at her best friend.

“She’s humming and smiling, that’s weird for her. She’s acting like a girl.”

“She is a girl, Ron.”

“She hums when she’s happy and relaxed.” Harry said, taking a look at his twin sister. “She’s happy.”

“Still creepy.”

“Don’t think that I’m so happy that I can’t hear you, Ron. Lucky for you that I’m in such a good mood that I don’t feel like punching you.”

"Explain to me why you’re giving him that," said Hermione to Holly, exasperated, as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board.

“I thought candy would help my case when I explain what really happened to Justin. Shannon lent me some ribbon saying how ‘SUPER CUTE’ it would be for the ribbons to be in his house’s colors. And I’m done. See you guys later~” Holly said with glee, in a much happier and chipper mood than usual. Holly got up and left through the portrait hole, down the halls with a skip in her step as she wondered where Justin might be.

The castle was darker than it usually was in daytime because of the thick, swirling grey snow at every window. Shivering, Holly walked past classrooms where lessons were taking place, catching snatches of what was happening within. Professor McGonagall was shouting at someone who, by the sound of it, had turned his friend into a badger. Resisting the urge to take a look, Holly walked on by, thinking that Justin might be using his free time to catch up on some work, and deciding to check the library first.

A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology was indeed sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Holly could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation. She couldn't see whether Justin was among them, she saw Cassie there. She was walking toward them when something of what they were saying met her ears, and she paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.

"So anyway," a stout boy was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as her next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually told her he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" said a girl with blonde pigtails anxiously.

"Hannah," said the stout boy solemnly, "She's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue. You see how she hangs out with those three Slytherins all the time. That one with those red glasses is always going on about death and laughing at others. The tall one is always wearing those thick glasses and lurking in the shadows and I don’t think I’ve ever heard the blonde one speak more than three sentences. Plus, she is always punching her friends, "

There was some heavy murmuring at this, and Ernie went on, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir, Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch’s cat is attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of her while she was lying in the mud. Next thing we know - Creevey's been attacked."

"She always seems so nice, though," said Hannah uncertainly, "and, well, she's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. She can't be all bad, can she?"

“I agree with Hannah, she’s always willing to help me in Herbology. I just can’t see her being bad, when she does that.” added Cassie.

Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously; the Hufflepuffs bent closer, and Holly, angrily, edged nearer so that she could catch Ernie's words.

"No one knows how she and her brother survived that attack by You-Know-Who. I mean to say, they was only babies when it happened. They should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that." He dropped his voice until it was barely more than a whisper, and said, "That's probably why You- Know-Who wanted to kill them in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers Potters’ been hiding?"

Holly just couldn't take anymore. Clearing her throat loudly, she stepped out from behind the bookshelves, clutching the box of beans tight. If she hadn't been feeling so angry, she would have found the sight that greeted her pretty funny: Every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been petrified by the sight of her, and the color was draining out of Ernie's face.

"Hello," said Holly. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."

The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.

"What do you want with him?" said Ernie in a quavering voice.

"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Dueling Club and I have something to give him," said Holly. “Oh, Hannah and Cassie, thanks for sticking up for me.”

Ernie bit his white lips and then, taking a deep breath, said, "We were all there. We saw what happened."

"Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" said Holly, raising her eyebrows.

"All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake toward Justin.”

"I didn't chase it at him!" Holly said, her voice shaking with anger. "It didn't even touch him! It moved away from him!"

"It was a very near miss," said Ernie. "And in case you're getting ideas," he added hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's, so -"

“I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" said Holly fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggleborns?"

"I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie swiftly.

"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said Holly. "I’d like to see you try it."

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, earning herself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spell book.

“Wait, Holly!” Cassie said.

Holly, with heated cheeks, blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where she was going, she was in such a fury. The result was that she walked into something very large and solid, which knocked her backward onto the floor.

"Oh, hello, Hagrid," Holly said, looking up.

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.

"All righ', Holly?" he said, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"

"Cancelled," said Holly, getting up. "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster.

"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin’ Bugbear, an' I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."

He peered more closely at Holly from under his thick, snow-flecked eyebrows.

"Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered -"

Holly just couldn't bring herself to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs had been saying about her, and well, Harry and her friends.

"It's nothing," she said. "I’d better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and I've got to pick up my books."

“Wait!” Hagrid and Holly jumped in surprise, Cassie ran up to them, Holly knew her as a girl sweet in disposition, polite in manners, feminine in appearance, and sociable in company. She said how she prided herself on being a modern pureblood Southern belle.

“I wanted to offer my most heartfelt apologies to you. What Ernie was saying back there was wrong and uncalled for.” said Cassie.

“I’ll be seein’ ya Holly.” Hagrid said.

“Holly, please…Listen to me. I know that you aren’t that kind of person-”

Holly walked off, her mind still full of what Ernie had said about her.

_"Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter he was Muggle-born.....”_

Holly stamped up the stairs with Cassie following and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draft that was blowing through a loose windowpane. She was halfway down the passage when she and Cassie tripped headlong over something lying on the floor.

“Ugh,” She turned to squint at what she'd fallen over and felt as though her stomach had dissolved.

“Did someone leave something…in…the…hall?” Holly had to dive to catch Cassie, who had fainted at what she saw.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was laying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Holly had ever seen.

It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

Holly got to her feet lifting up Cassie in her arms, almost falling back, her breathing fast and shallow, her heart doing a kind of drumroll against her ribs. She looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies. The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers from the classes on either side.

She could run, and no one would ever know she had been there. Then she remembered Cassie was still in her arms and had seen her. She couldn't just leave them lying here.... She had to get help.... Would anyone believe she hadn't had anything to do with this? Who knows if Cassie will explain it when she wakes up?

As she stood there, panicking, a door right next to her opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out.

"Why, it's potty wee Potter and bashful wittle lapdog Lappie!" cackled Peeves, knocking Holly. "What are the wittle girlies up to? Why are they lurking -"

Peeves stopped, halfway through a mid-air somersault. Upside down, he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, filled his lungs and, before Holly could stop him, screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Crash - crash - crash - door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Holly found herself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet; she was still holding the unconscious Cassie in her arms. Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class, one of whom still had black-and-white-striped hair. She used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence, and ordered everyone back into their classes. No sooner had the scene cleared somewhat than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Holly, whole her hair had gone all white. They couldn’t have thought she had done this.

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

“Pr-Professor, Cassie fainted! She n-needs to go the infirmary.” stammered Holly.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves broke into song:

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, you’re killing off' students, you think it's good fun -"

"That's enough Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall, and Peeves zoomed away backward, with his tongue out at Holly.

Justin and Cassie were carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for Nearly Headless Nick. In the end, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. This Ernie did, fanning Nick along like a silent black hovercraft. This left Holly and Professor McGonagall alone together.

"This way, Potter," she said.

"Professor," said Holly at once, "I swear I didn't -"

"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.

They marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle.

"Lemon drop!" she said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Even full of dread for what was coming, Holly couldn't fail to be amazed. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As she and Professor McGonagall stepped onto it, Holly heard the wall thud closed behind them.

They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Holly saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

She knew now where she was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.


	48. Bk 2: Ch21

They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told Holly to wait and left her there, alone, uncomfortable.

Holly looked around the place. One thing was certain: of all the teachers' offices Holly had the ‘pleasure’ of visiting so far this year, Dumbledore’s was by far the most interesting. If she hadn’t been so anxious and scared that she might get thrown out of the school, she would’ve actually been very pleased to have a chance to look around it..

From what Holly could make out, it was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises that came from unknown sources. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat.

Holly hesitated for a moment. She looked around at the sleeping witches and wizards warily; surely it couldn’t hurt if she took the hat down and tried it on again? Just to see… just to make sure it had put her in the right House.

 _“Don’t do it, it won’t matter either way.”_ said a voice in her head. _“It chose Gryffindor for a reason. Don’t second guess its choice.”_

 _“But does she really belong in Gryffindor?”_ said another louder and more sinister voice. _“It said you’d do well in Slytherin. Maybe it can tell you if really are the Heir of Slytherin. What’s the harm in checking? You know you want too.”_

She walked quietly around the desk, lifted the hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto her head. The hat was still too much large, and slipped down over her eyes, just as it had done the last time she’d put it on. Holly stared at the black inside of the hat, waiting. Then a small voice said in her ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Holly Potter?"

"Yes, thanks to you!" Holly spat, pushing back her now normal bangs. "Now you know what I want so tell me before I-”

"No need for empty threats, Holly Potter. You've been wondering whether I put you in the right House," said the hat smartly. "Yes ... you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said before" – Holly’s heart leapt - "you would do good in Slytherin -"

Holly’s stomach plummeted. Frowning, she grabbed the point of the hat and pulled it off. It hung limply in her hand, grubby and faded. Holly pushed it back onto its shelf, feeling sick and uncomfortable.

"You're wrong," she said aloud to the still and silent hat. It didn't move. Holly carefully backed away, watching it. Then a strange, gagging noise behind her made her spin around.

So she wasn't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Holly stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Holly furrowed her eyebrows, it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Holly watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail. For some reason, Holly wondered if the bird reflected her.

Holly was just thinking about how she could help Dumbledore’s pet bird, when the bird burst into flames, startling Holly.

Holly let out a yell in shock, and backed away into the desk, almost falling over. She looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere but couldn't see one; the bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Holly gasped, she looked up wide eyed. "Your bird - I couldn't do anything - he just caught fire – I’m so sorry for–"

Much to Holly’s astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.

"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

He chuckled at the stunned look on Holly’s face.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, Holly. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him . . ."

Holly curiously looked down, just in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, new-born bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite cute in Holly’s opinion, though she didn’t think it looked like any of the pictures in her textbooks.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets."

“They must be really…” Holly searched her mind to try and find the right word.

“Magnificent,” Dumbledore chuckled slightly, Holly nodded.

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Holly had forgotten what she was there for, but it all came back to her as Dumbledore settled himself in the high chair behind the desk and fixed Holly with his penetrating, light-blue stare.

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door of the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand with Cassie following close behind him. Holly looked at them in shock.

"It wasn' Holly, Professor Dumbledore!" said Hagrid urgently. "I was talkin' ter her seconds before that kid was found, she never had time, sir -”

“It’s true, sir! I was with Holly when we discovered Justin-”

Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere, Cassie dodging the rooster and feathers, not wanting to get hit.

"-it can't've bin her, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to -"

“-I vow on my Grandmama’s honor that-”

"Hagrid, Miss Lapp, I -"

"- yeh've got the wrong girl, sir, I know Holly never –”

“-it was our fault for talking about-”

"Hagrid! Miss Lapp!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do not think that Holly attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster."

And he stomped out looking embarrassed

“Sorry for intruding, sir.” Cassie blushed, curtseying to them, going to wait with Hagrid.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Holly repeated hopefully as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Holly, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was somber again. "But I still want to talk to you."

Holly waited nervously while Dumbledore considered her, the tips of his long fingers together.

"I must ask you, Holly, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me," he said gently. "Anything at all."

Holly didn't know what to say. She thought of Malfoy shouting, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" and of the Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Then she thought of the disembodied voice she had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world." She thought, too, about what everyone was saying about her and Harry and her growing dread that she was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin....

"No," said Holly, slowly. "There isn't anything, Professor . . . ."

Holly slowly went towards the door, but was suddenly called back. "Holly," And she turned around quickly. Dumbledore was holding a little box, dark green in color. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and walked back to the desk, where Dumbledore passed her the box. "I believe that it would be far better in your possession."

Holly curiously opened the box, and was surprised to see a ring inside it, an old ring. "Um, Professor Dumbledore… What is this?" She asked curiously. "Oh, this ring belonged to your mother. I don't think it will fit you now, but she wanted to give it to you." Dumbledore said, getting up from his chair and walking to the nearest window. "It's the first ring your mother ever received," Holly stared at the ring. It was a simple silver ring that looked too big to fit on her finger right now. It had a tiny emerald and inside there was an inscription that Holly read aloud:

_"Always"_

She asked Dumbledore what that meant.

"What do you think it means?" he cryptically replied, causing Holly to make a face. Since she couldn’t wear it, she decided to put it on her necklace.

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had up till now been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? People asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas. While others seemed frighten Shannon and Mad seemed fascinated by the whole thing. Still one of the biggest surprises was what happened not to long after.

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were heading to work on the Polyjuice Potion when they stopped dead in their tracks at who was standing in front of the bathroom's door. All of them went pale because blocking the door was none other than Becca, Abby, and Cassie; Becca wearing her usual cold and pompous stare. The group thought of running, but was already spotted by the three girls.

"I suggest you get in before you draw attention." stated Becca as she held the door open. As they shuffled in they stood there in awkward silence. Waiting for Becca's threat or what she wanted from them so she could stay silent.

"We want to help."

"Don't think you can black-" Ron thundered before, realizing what she just said, the others looking just as shocked. "Wait, what?"

"I don't think we heard you correctly." Mad said cleaning out her ears, not believing any of this is happening.

"I said we want to help and I will not say it again."

"What's the catch?" Holly asked, Hermione nodding, both suspicious of Mad's sister.

"There is no catch."

"Then why are you helping us?" Ron said stepping up to glare at Becca, who was unfazed by it.

"Cassie told us what happened with Justin and as much as I hate you…" Becca looked at her sister. "…I hate this whole Muggleborn discrimination and Heir of Slytherin nonsense more. I knew my idiot sister and her friends will try to help clear the Potter Twins name. So I did some 'observation' and was able to come across your poorly concealed concoction. Now you will let us help you or I will personally report you to all the teachers and prefects I see on the way back to my dorm."

Before Mad, Harry, and Ron could angrily retort back, Holly pulled them into a huddle to discuss it. Shannon, Harry and Ron were greatly opposed to it, not wanting to accept help via blackmail. Shannon didn't like the idea of them helping and suggested they erase the three girls' memories. Mad, Christian, and Hermione wanted to take the help, as not to face the alternative of being reported. Holly had ended up being the deciding vote, after deep consideration she decided on…

"We accept your help." Holly said. Becca smirked, Cassie smiled, and Abby jumped for joy.

"But if dare to double cross us, we will give you to Shannon." added Mad, as Shannon pulled out some scalpels and dangerous looking vials from her robe. "Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

So, Shannon, Hermione, Holly and Becca working on the potion whenever they were able; Becca, Cassie, and Abby had started eating with them; Cassie and Abby had actually become fast friends with Mad and Shannon. Cassie and Shannon with their love of fashion and Abby and Mad for their love of art. Abby was a brilliant muggleborn witch that was able to memorize anything after reading it and was always covered in paint stains, but also an ignorant girl who took even the most common metaphors, similes, and idioms seriously. All in all things weren’t so bad, though the others had to constantly stop Mad and Becca from tearing each other’s throats out. Soon it was time for the student to leave for break, leaving Harry, Holly, Hermione, and Ron at Hogwarts.

"We'll look for some info in Mad's family library. Becca and her were home schooled, so she knows the library like the back of her hand. They have records going back to Ancient Greece! If we don't find anything in there I'll eat my hat!" Shannon told them giving them one last killer hug before leaving with Mad and Christian for the train. "Stay strong, guys! Try not to die too badly~"

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Holly, Harry and Hermione. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But Holly was definitely glad that most people were leaving for the holidays, she was really tired of people skirting around her in the corridors, as though she was about to sprout fangs or spit poison or something; tired of all the muttering, pointing and hissing as she passed with her friends.

Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Holly down the corridors, shouting, and "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."

Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.

"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Holly's in a hurry."

"Yeah, she's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with her fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either.

"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Holly loudly who she was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Holly off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

“Wow, only you two can to turn this whole situation into a joke.” said Holly, rolling her eyes.

“What can we say?”

“It’s what we do.”

In truth, Holly didn't mind that; actually it made her feel a bit better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of her being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. So she preferred to simply smile weakly at them in return. She knew that it wasn't much right now, and that she might have to deal with greater problems in the future, Holly felt exhausted. She didn't understand how nor could she explain it, she was tired of everything.

However, on the other hand, Fred and George's antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.

"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."

"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."

Harry looked over at his twin sister, who nodded back in reply. "I just want all this ridiculousness done with," Holly mumbled, and then something hit her. "Hey I just thought of something!"

"What?" asked Harry.

"It can't be Malfoy or any other pureblood," stated Holly, who began pacing.

"What makes you say that?" Hermione said. 

"Think about it if it had been a pureblood family the chamber would never be closed, they would just keep it open, it has to be a half blood, and someone who's family hasn't been at Hogwarts since well fifty years then before that Slytherin's time. They wouldn't allow a Slytherin heir in on purpose as that would mean that they would open the chamber." 

Hermione gasped. "Holly your right, of course you're right," she said, pacing now.

"So the pureblood family of Slytherin would be home schooled. The family want to open the chamber again – " Holly said.

"They have a baby with a Muggle and leave them once they know they cannot get rid of the child." Hermione finished. 

"Then they can't trace it back to them until they want the child to open the chamber." Holly nodded, though it didn't seem completely right. However it seemed close. 

"That was impressive," Ron said, astonished that the girls figured that out.

"Good work, sis." Harry said nodding his head in approval. “But we still don’t know who opened the chamber.”

"So we see if Malfoy knows who this kid is," Ron said. 

"Yeah, that's the best plan we have," Hermione sighed.

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Holly found it peaceful and relaxing after the seemingly long term. True, to some people it might've been a little gloomy but it was rather enjoyable that she, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys had the whole common room to them. There was nothing better than the fact that they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone's study session or sleep and practice some dueling in private. Holly was more delighted by the fact that she could write new song lyrics whenever she wanted without people making suggestions.

Fred, George, and Ginny had also chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behavior, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told them pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time. ("Yeah right," said Holly, rubbing her reddened nose due to the cold.)


	49. Bk 2: Ch22

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry and Ron, the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both, not to mention, dragging Holly in along, who was still in her pajamas and half asleep.

"Wake up," she said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.

"Hermione - you're not supposed to be in here -" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.

“Yeah, no one really cares,” Holly mumbled, yawning and pushing back her long, tangled hair.  

"Merry Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake. Ron managed to hit Holly on the face with his face, smirking. Holly groaned and tried to hit him back but Hermione gave them both a look and they stopped.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.            

"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

Suddenly, there was ruffling sound and Holly looked up to see Heidi fly into the room gracefully and perched onto her shoulder, a very small package in his beak. She was followed soon after by Hedwig, who swooped inside and went to Harry.

"Hello," Holly heard Harry say happily as the owl landed onto his bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"

Holly, on the other hand, giggled slightly when she felt her owl nibble her ear and nuzzle into her hair in an owl-y way of showing affection, which was far better than what she had gotten for her than the package she held in her beak. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and carefully opened the package and saw a toothpick inside it, a note telling her to find out whether she and her twin brother would be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too. Holly rolled her eyes and threw the toothpick away.

However, thankfully, the rest of Holly’s Christmas presents were far better than that. They had gotten a large tin of treacle fudge from Hagrid which Harry told her to soften by the fire before trying them out; Hermione had bought her a luxury eagle-feather quill and Holly’s favorite Cauldron Cakes, Ron got her a book called Flying with the Cannons, which was a book that that some interesting facts about the Quidditch team. Shannon and Christian gave the twins some Gryffindor Quidditch team t-shirts that had their names and numbers on the back, with some extra strength hair ties for Holly. They also made one for Ron, but used the Chudley Cannons color. Mad had drawn them a moving drawing of Harry and her flying on their broomsticks and Hermione a book on vampire culture.

Holly was delighted when she opened the last present to find a new, hand-knitted green sweater from Mrs Weasley and a large plum cake. But she read her card with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about Mr Weasley's car (which hadn't been seen since its crash with the Whomping Willow), and the bout of rule-breaking she, Harry and Ron were planning next.

“I need to go change,” Holly said, grinning. “You guys go on if I’m late, I’ll be down in a bit,” She pointed at her tangled hair. When she received a nod from each of her friends, she grabbed her things and quickly walked out and up to the girls’ dormitory. She changed into more acceptable clothes and managed to brush her hair and pull it into a ponytail using one of the hair ties Shannon gave her.

However as she was going downstairs, Holly met Fred and George and greeted them more cheerfully than she had been for the last few days. “Going to the Great Hall, you guys?” Holly asked. The twins nodded together and pulled her along.

“We got something for you this time too,” said Fred. “I think it’s really random though, if you ask me,” Holly tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows.

“What is it?” Holly asked. The twins shared a look, before putting something in Holly’s hands. She looked at raised a brow. They had given her a plush lion doll that was dressed to look like a Quidditch player. It had everything from the goggles in its mane to the tiny uniform that it was dressed in with ‘Seeker’ written on the back. It was even holding a tiny little broomstick and snitch in its paws. Out of all the things they could’ve gotten her, this wasn’t even close to what she expected.

“Thanks I guess.” Holly couldn’t really believe it. It was cute, but not the girly girl kind of cuteness that Holly hated. “I like it.” And it was true. She turned and hugged the plush close to her heart, not noticing the 15-year-old Weasleys sighing in relief.

“Oh, it’s not much,” Fred and George said.

“Still,” Holly grinned, pulling back and putting the lion under her arm. “Thank you so much,”  

Fred looked at her with a grin. “Are you going to name it?”

“Name it? Is that what I’m supposed to do? I’ve never really had one of these before.” asked Holly, she didn’t really understand what she was supposed to do with it. The Dursleys had never given her or Harry toys to play with. Fred and George look taking back by her saying this.

“Of course, you name it….”

“…Then you can play with it…”

“…sleep with it…”

“…love it…”

“…dress it up…”

“…have tea parties with it…”

Holly made a face. “…Do I really seem like the type of person to have tea parties?”

“Well no, but-” George tried to explain.

“Fielding.”

“What?” Fred and George asked, looking confused.

“That’s his name. Fielding Griffeth Potter.” Holly said. Fred and George stared at her before smiling, enveloping her in hug. “Put me down you dummies! Don’t make me punch you both!”

“Oh, don’t say that, Holly-day.”

“We know you love us too much for that!”

_WHAM-WHAM_

A blushing Holly left with Fielding, trying to hide the happiness she was feeling as the twins nursed the developing lumps on their heads.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Fred and George had gotten hands on some mistletoe and ambushed Holly with kisses on the cheek, which got them both facefuls of pudding. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed.

Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his prefect badge so that it now read "Pinhead," kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Holly, who felt like the happiest person on Earth, didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about her new sweater and Fielding from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his comeuppance in a few hours' time.

While Harry and Ron had barely finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding, Holly was just getting started when Hermione ushered them out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening. Holly pouted and but remembered she had the Cauldron Cakes in the pockets of her robes and decided to just follow them taking Fielding along.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy’s best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him. I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces. She looked at Holly next but saw she was too busy eating the cake and shook her head.

“What?” Holly mumbled.

“Oh, nothing,”

Hermione held up two plump chocolate cakes, which she had swat Holly’s hands away from. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other.

"Hermione, I don't think -"

"That could go seriously wrong -"

But Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had.

"The potion will be useless without Crabbe's and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"

"Oh, all right, all right," said Harry. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?" Holly laughed.

"I've already got mine!" said Hermione brightly, pulling a tiny bottle out of her pocket and showing them the single hair inside it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Duelling Club?”

“I remember jumping on her back to keep her from strangling you.” answered Holly, the taste of the cake souring at the memory.

“Well she left this on my robes when she was trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas - so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."

“I still think you should’ve done that girl from Slytherin…” Holly mumbled.

Hermione turned back and went to where Holly was checking on the Polyjuice Potion, slapping her hand when she almost accidently dropped some bits of her cake into the potion.

“Hey!” Behind them, Ron turned to Harry with a doom-laden expression.

"Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"

“Yes, it’s called life. Now stop whining and get ready.” answered Holly.

But to Harry's and Ron's utter amazement, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said. They lurked in the deserted entrance hall after Christmas tea, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle who had remained alone at the Slytherin table, shoveling down fourth helpings of trifle. Harry had perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters. When they spotted Crabbe and Goyle coming out of the Great Hall, Harry and Ron hid quickly behind a suit of armor next to the front door.

"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered ecstatically as Crabbe gleefully pointed out the cakes to Goyle and grabbed them. Grinning stupidly, they stuffed the cakes whole into their large mouths. For a moment, both of them chewed greedily, looks of triumph on their faces. Then, without the smallest change of expression, they both keeled over backward onto the floor.

By far the hardest part was hiding them in the closet across the hall. Once they were safely stowed among the buckets and mops, Harry yanked out a couple of the bristles that covered Goyle's fore head and Ron pulled out several of Crabbe's hairs. They also stole their shoes, because their own were far too small for Crabbe- and Goyle-size feet. Then, still stunned at what they had just done, they sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom seeing Fielding keeping guard in the sink.

They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the stall in which Holly was stirring the cauldron, talking to Hermione. Pulling their robes up over their faces, Harry and Ron knocked softly on the door.

"Hermione? Holly?"

They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion that Holly was stirring. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.

"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

Harry showed her Goyle's hair.

"Good. And I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry," Hermione said, holding up a small sack. "You'll need bigger sizes once you're Crabbe and Goyle." She looked back at Holly. “I got one set for you too, if you want to go along,”

The four of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly. Holly smiled.

"I'm sure we’ve done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should ... once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."

"Now what?" Ron whispered.

"We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs."

Holly ladled large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Before handing the first one to her best friend’s trembling hand, Hermione shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass.

The potion hissed loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. A second later, it had turned a sick sort of yellow.

"Urgh - essence of Millicent Bulstrode," said Ron, eyeing it with loathing. "Bet it tastes disgusting."

"Add yours, then," said Hermione.

Harry dropped Goyle's hair into the middle glass and Ron put Crabbe's into the last one. Both glasses hissed and frothed: Goyle's turned the khaki color of a booger; Crabbe's a dark, murky brown. Holly smirked at their faces.

"Hang on," said Harry as Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses. "We'd better not all drink them in here .... Once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie.”

"Good thinking," said Ron, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."

“I’ll wait outside,” Holly pursed her lips, watching them go to a stall each.

"Ready?" She heard Harry call.

"Ready," came Ron's and Hermione's voices.

“Oh Merlin, this is going to be hilarious,”

"One - two - three -"


	50. Bk 2: Ch23

"One - two - three -"

Holly smirked.

On the other hand, pinching his nose, Harry drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked cabbage.

Immediately, his insides started writhing as though he'd just swallowed live snakes - doubled up, he wondered whether he was going to be sick - then a burning sensation spread rapidly from his stomach to the very ends of his fingers and toes - next, bringing him gasping to all fours, came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot wax - and before his eyes, his hands began to grow, the fingers thickened, the nails broadened, the knuckles were bulging like bolts -his shoulders stretched painfully and a prickling on his forehead told him that hair was creeping down toward his eyebrows - his robes ripped as his chest expanded like a barrel bursting its hoops - his feet were agony in shoes four sizes too small.

As suddenly as it had started, everything stopped. Harry lay face down on the stone-cold floor, listening to Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet. With difficulty, he kicked off his shoes and stood up. So this was what it felt like, being Goyle. His large hand trembling, he pulled off his old robes, which were hanging a foot above his ankles, pulled on the spare ones, and laced up Goyle's boatlike shoes. He reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes and met only the short growth of wiry bristles, low on his forehead. Then he realized that his glasses were clouding his eyes because Goyle obviously didn't need them - he took them off and called, "Are you two okay?" Goyle's low rasp of a voice issued from his mouth.

"Yeah," came the deep grunt of Crabbe from his right.

Holly saw Harry, or well Goyle unlock the door and step out, hurrying to the cracked mirror. She almost laughed out loud when she saw Harry touch his face, looking into the mirror. Harry, for some reason unknown to Holly, scratched his ear. So did Goyle.

Holly, who had hard time controlling her laughter before, doubled over when Ron's door opened and the two disguised friends looked at each other. It really was hilarious.

"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose. "Unbelievable.”

"We'd better get going," said Harry, loosening the watch that was cutting into Goyle's thick wrist. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is. I only hope we can find someone to follow. . ."

“Guys, I -” Holly tried to tell them how she knew the way, but every time she got a…

“Not now, Holly.” said Harry.

…She had given up on trying to tell them.

Ron, who had been gazing at Harry, said, "You don't know how bizarre it is to see Goyle thinking." He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go -"

A high-pitched voice answered him.

"I - I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me.”

"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you -" Holly furrowed her eyebrows.

"No - really - I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you’re wasting time, Holly you go with them –”

Harry looked at Holly and Ron, bewildered.

"That looks more like Goyle," said Ron. "That's how he looks every time a teacher asks him a question."

"Hermione, are you okay?" said Holly through the door.

"Fine - I'm fine - go on – You don’t need any Polyjuice Potion-"

Holly pursed her lips, looking worried. “Um, okay, just pass me the robes,” And was shocked when rather than opening the door, Hermione threw them over the stall. Holly grabbed them quickly before they fell onto the wet floor.

She rolled her eyes and walked into one of the stalls, pulling it shut and locking it. She closed her eyes for a minute before concentrating her best. She could feel her hair grow shorter and her eyes get narrow and her height shortened and she felt herself get a little healthier.

Holly opened her eyes and blinked before quickly pulling on the Slytherin robes, reluctant to take off her necklace and decided to simply hide it under her shirt. She opened her hair that fell around her shoulder and opened the stall door, stepping out sheepishly.

“Why couldn’t we go as girls?” Ron said. Holly and Harry gave him a look. Harry looked at his watch. Almost ten minutes of their precious sixty minutes had already passed.

"We'll meet you back here, all right?" he called out to Hermione.

Harry and Ron opened the door of the bathroom carefully, checked that the coast was clear, and set off, Holly following them out.

"Don't swing your arms like that," Harry muttered to Ron.

"Eh?"

"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff . . . ."

"How's this?"

"Yeah, that's better . . . ."

“Holly, girls don’t walk like that in skirts.”

“How do you know that, Ron?”

“Well I- Nevermind. Just keep your legs together when you sit.”

“Whatever.”

“Isn’t she just so polite, Harry.”

“Watch it, Ron. I’m even more tempted to punch you with the way you’re looking right now. I’m going to walk a little back,” Holly told them. “I’m supposed to be a year older than you, so I don’t know you, you don’t know me,”

Harry and Ron nodded.

They went down the marble staircase. All they needed now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.

"Any ideas?" muttered Harry.

"The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there," said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the dungeons. Holly might have known where the common room was, but she had no idea what the password was. The words had barely left his mouth when a girl with long, curly hair emerged from the entrance.

"Excuse me," said Ron, hurrying up to her. "We've forgotten the way to our common room."

"I beg your pardon?" said the girl stiffly. "Our common room? I'm a Ravenclaw."

She walked away, looking suspiciously back at them.

Holly gave them a glare.

“What if the girl you’re portraying as comes along?” Ron said.

“She won’t, she has detention,”

“Even on Christmas?”

“Filch,”

“Oh,”

Harry and Ron hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly as Crabbe's and Goyle's huge feet hit the floor, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped. Holly shook her head and followed them anyway.

The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, constantly checking their watches to see how much time they had left. After a quarter of an hour, just when they were getting desperate, they heard a sudden movement ahead.

"Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"

The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.

"What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.

Percy looked affronted.

"That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"

"Wh - oh, yeah," said Ron.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."

"You are," Ron pointed out.

"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack me."

A voice suddenly echoed behind Harry and Ron. Draco Malfoy was strolling toward them, and for the first time in his life, Harry was pleased to see him. Holly moved a little away.

"There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."

Malfoy glanced witheringly at Percy.

"And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.

Percy looked outraged.

"You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude!"

Malfoy sneered and motioned for Harry and Ron to follow him. Harry almost said something apologetic to Percy but caught himself just in time. He and Ron hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passage, "That Peter Weasley -"

"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.

"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed."

He gave a short, derisive laugh. Harry and Ron exchanged excited looks. Holly let out a sigh and tried to stay in the shadows as she walked behind them, pretending to be thinking.

Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" he said to Harry.

"Er -" said Harry.

"Oh, yeah -- pureblood!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. Malfoy marched through it, and Harry and Ron followed him. Holly smirked, staying outside for a moment, deciding it was better that she waited for a while before going in.

“Pureblood,”

The stone wall slide open yet again and Holly stepped in. It was just like she remembered when Mad and Shannon would sneak her in for band practice. The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs. To be honest, it was not that bad; Holly liked the greenish lamps but liked their common room better. It was much more warm and inviting.

She walked ahead and saw Harry and Ron waiting on a pair of chairs set back from the fire. She looked at them curiously and understood when Harry mouthed out ‘Malfoy’s gone to get something his father sent him,’

Wondering what Malfoy was going to show them, Holly tried to find something to keep herself busy and not look suspicious, she quietly walked to the armchairs nearby Harry and Ron and sat down, trying her best to not look uncomfortable, and pretending to look at a Daily Prophet issue.

Malfoy came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.

"That'll give you a laugh," he said. Holly narrowed her now dark brown eyes.

She saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and handed it to Harry.

It had been clipped out of the Daily Prophet, and Holly looked at Ron, who mouthed ‘Daily Prophet article,’

Holly hurriedly looked through the articles and found just what she was dreading, the article said:

_INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC_

_Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car._

_Mr Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr Weasley's resignation._

_"Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr Malfoy told our reporter._

_"He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."_

_Mr Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them._

“Well?” said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the clipping back to him. “Don’t you think it’s funny?”

“Ha,ha,” said Harry bleakly.

“Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them,” said Malfoy scornfully.

“You’d never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave.” Ron’s – or rather, Crabbe’s – face was contorted with fury. Holly’s eyes widened.

“What’s up with you, Crabbe?” snapped Malfoy.

“Stomach-ache,” Ron grunted.

“Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me,” said Malfoy, snickering. “I suppose Dumbledore’s trying to hush it all up. He’ll be sacked if it doesn’t stop soon. Father’s always said old Dumbledore’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to this place. He loves Muggleborns. A decent headmaster would never have let slime like that Creevey in.”

Holly’s hands balled into a fist.


	51. Bk 2: Ch24

Holly, angrily, looked over at Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"'

He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.

"What's the matter with you two?"

Far too late, Harry and Ron forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake. Holly rolled her eyes.

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "She’s another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood or those three disgraces. Waste of a pretty face.”

Harry and Holly scrunched their faces in disgust.

“And people think she or her brother is Slytherin's heir!"

Harry and Ron waited with bated breath: Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him - but then --

"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe looked even more clueless than usual. Holly was close to tearing the newspaper she had in her hands in half.

Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Harry, thinking fast, said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all......”

 "You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing - last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them is killed this time.... I hope it is Granger," he said with relish. Holly’s expression twisted into a one of complete anger, gripping the Daily Prophet tightly.

On the other hand, Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Feeling that it would be a bit of a giveaway if Ron punched Malfoy, Harry shot him a warning look and said, "D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"

"Oh, yeah ... whoever it was, was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" said Harry, puzzled.

"Azkaban - the wizard prison, Goyle," said Malfoy, looking at him in disbelief "Honestly, if you were any slower, you'd be going backward."

Holly pursed her lips. So there wasn’t much that Malfoy knew, it’s useless.

Malfoy shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"

Holly furrowed her eyebrows, really?

"Yeah..." said Malfoy. “Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor -"

"Ho!" said Ron. Holly jumped slightly, not expecting such an outburst from him.

Malfoy looked at him. So did Harry and Holly. Ron blushed. Holly’s eyes widened. Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also slowly lengthening - their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was suddenly giving Harry, he must be, too.

They both jumped to their feet.

"Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted, and without further ado they sprinted the length of the Slytherin common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall, and dashed up the passage, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't noticed anything. Holly looked at Malfoy’s shocked and confused expression and waited for a second before getting up and slipping out of the common room. Well, that was really productive. She could’ve finished some of her homework.

Holly hurried outside, running as fast as she could towards the marble staircase that led towards the Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. When she was half way up, she changed her appearance back, her thick red hair falling down on her back, the robes on her became a little baggy. She was quite glad that no one was around, because she certainly couldn’t take it anymore, it was hard adapting to the body measurements of another person.

"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," Holly heard Ron pant as she entered and closed the bathroom door behind her. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoys' drawing room."

“Good idea,” Holly said as the two boys looked back at her. “I’m just glad to be out of this uniform. This skirt is way to freeing. I have no idea how girls wear these.”

Harry shook his head at her and checked his face in the cracked mirror. He was back to normal. He put his glasses on as Holly went on to knock on Hermione’s stall.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you -"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

Holly looked at the stall door, confused. Behind her, Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"What's the matter?" said Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are –”

But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door. Harry had never seen her looking so happy.

"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-"

They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" said Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

“Hermione?” Holly asked, unsure.

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.

Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh-oh," said Ron.

“Oh, Hermione!”

 "You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.

“Shut up, Myrtle!” Holly hissed, she didn’t want to show that she thought Hermione looked kinda cool like that.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions......”

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!"

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

Harry and Ron went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, Holly brought her each day's homework. Sometimes when she was free, she’ll spend time around her, helping her with the homework.

"If I’d sprouted whiskers, I’d take a pausa from work," said Mad, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening that Holly asked her to carry.

“You’d take a break from school permanently if you could.” commented Shannon.

"Don't be silly, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were turning slowly back to brown. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

 "Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

 "I was so sure Malfoy would know something," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.

"What's that?" asked Holly, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow, her eyes narrowed.

 "Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:

_"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award.”_

“Are you kidding me?” Shannon asked, laughing hysterically.

 Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted.

"You sleep with this under your pillow?"

“Have you lost your mente, Mione?”

But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Ron said to them as they left the infirmary and started up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

“He is, but don’t be too hard on her. She’s at that very speciale age when a ragazza has only one thing on her mente.” Mad said.

“Homicide?”

“Quidditch?”

“Boys! Fanculo, Holly get a indizio and Shannon what is wrong with you!?”

“A lot of things~ You should know that by now~” Shannon smiled innocently.

Snape had given them so much homework, Harry thought he was likely to be in the sixth year before he finished it. Holly on the other hand felt like she was going to fall asleep the moment she hits the bed.

"That's Filch," Harry muttered as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.

"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" said Ron tensely.

“I don’t know…” Holly mumbled.

“Probably not, there aren’t enough people.” said Shannon, looking around. “Either way, considering we’re here now it’s probably not going to be good.”

They stood still, their heads inclined toward Filch’s voice, which sounded quite hysterical.

_“- even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw; I'm going to Dumbledore -"_

 His footsteps receded along the out-of-sight corridor and they heard a distant door slam.

They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual lookout post: They were once again on the spot where Mrs Norris had been attacked. They saw at a glance what Filch had been shouting about. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Now that Filch had stopped shouting, they could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.

"Now what's up with her?" said Ron.

“Dumb question, Ron.” commented Shannon. “You should be asking what isn’t wrong with her.”

“C’mon ragazzi. She can actually be really carino once you parlare to her.” remarked Mad.

"Let's go and see what’s got her acting like this," said Holly, and holding their robes over their ankles they stepped through the great wash of water to the door bearing it’s OUT OF ORDER sign, ignored it as always, and entered. Shannon was making Christian carry her, so her favorite green and silver suede pumps didn’t get wet.

Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.

"What's up, Myrtle?" said Holly.

"Who's that?" glugged Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"

Holly waded across to her stall and said, "Why would I throw something at you?"

"Don't ask me," Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me......”

"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Harry, reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"

“Yeah what’s the point of throwing something at person if you can’t enjoy the pain they have afterwards. See.” Shannon said, as she pulled some of Christian’s dirty blonde locks.

“Ow.” Christian said in his usual monotone face and voice.

“Bad example.”

Ron and Shannon had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because she can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach!” she said putting her arm in Holly’s stomach making her shiver at the cold shower sensation.

“What did I do?!” yelped Holly, not understanding why she was the one that got punched.

“Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely game, I don't think!" she punched through Holly’s head, giving her a massive brain freeze feeling.

"Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked Holly, trying to change the topic before her insides got punched again.

"I don't know... I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out......”

Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing while Holly and Mad stood where they were, trying to cheer up Myrtle. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.

"What?" said Harry.

"Are you crazy?" said Ron. "It could be dangerous."

"Dangerous?” said Harry, laughing. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"

“What’s it gonna do? Bite him? Yeah right, Ron.” Holly said reaching but getting her arm pulled back by Ron.

"You'd be surprised," said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book. "Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated Dad's told me - there was one that burned your eyes out. And everyone who read Sonnets of a Sorcerer spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could never stop reading! You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed. And -"

“That last one kinda sounds like Hermione.” Mad chuckled.

 "All right, I think Harry’s got the point," said Holly.

“Whatever, just pick up the book! My grandmama always said that if you ever see something strange on the ground you should pick it up~” Shannon interjected, anticipating what the book would do.

“Your nonna said that?” said Mad, all of them thinking that explained a lot about how Shannon turned out.

“She was not a nurturer. Anyhoodles, are you going to see if the book is safe or not, Holly? Cause I ain’t gonna touch no toilet book or getting my shoes wet.” Shannon snapped her fingers.

 The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and soggy.

"Well, we won't find out unless we look at it," she said, and she ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.

Holly saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told her it was fifty years old. She opened it eagerly. On the first page she could just make out the name "T. M. Riddle" in smudged ink. Holly narrowed her eyes at it.

“Oooh~ A diary~ Anything juicy~” Shannon said, trying to find some hot gossip.

"Hang on," said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over Holly’s shoulder. "I know that name.... T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."

"How on earth d'you know that?" said Harry in amazement.

"Because Filch made me polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron resentfully. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."

“Ron, I’m impressionato. Good catch.” Mad gave Ron a pat on the back almost knocking him over.

Holly smirked and shook her head, peeling the wet pages apart. They were completely blank. There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of them, not even Auntie Mabel's birthday, or dentist, half-past three.

"He never wrote in it," said Harry, disappointed.

“Booooo~ No hot gossip, no interest~”

"I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" said Ron curiously. Mad covered Christian’s mouth before he could say a bad pun.

“Why would they?” Holly wondered out loud. She turned to the back cover of the book and saw the printed name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, London.

"He must've been Muggle-born," said Holly thoughtfully. "To have bought a diary from Vauxhall Road......”

“He could be a half-blood raised by muggles or squibs.” Shannon added.

"Well, it's not much use to you," said Ron. He dropped his voice. "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose-OW!"

“Be nice!” Holly reprimanded and pocketed the diary.

Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free, at the beginning of February. On her first evening back in Gryffindor Tower, Holly showed her T. M. Riddle's diary and told her the story of how they had found it.

 "Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.

“Now that would be awesome! Maybe if you write the name of person in it they die! Like some kind of fatality memo or something!” Shannon said as she snuggled up to Christian’s dog form, playing with his floppy ears.

"Hopefully not, but if it does, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Holly."

"I wish I knew why someone did try to chuck it," said Harry. "I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."

"Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got 30 OWLs or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favor.....”

But Holly could tell from the arrested look on Hermione's face that she was thinking what she was thinking.

"What?" said Ron, looking from one to the other. “What are you two thinking? Harry, they’re both thinking!”

“I love those looks! Usually means something really fun and dangerous is gonna happen~” Shannon said, smirking along with Mad.

"Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" Holly said. "That's what Malfoy said."

 "Yeah..." said Ron slowly.

 "And this diary is fifty years old," said Hermione, tapping it excitedly.

 “So?”

 "Oh, Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled fifty years ago. We know T. M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary would probably tell us everything - where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it - the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"

"That's a brilliant theory, Hermione," said Ron, "with just one tiny little flaw. There's nothing written in his diary."

 But Hermione was pulling her wand out of her bag.

 "It might be invisible ink!" she whispered.

 She tapped the diary three times and said, "Aparecium!"

 Nothing happened.

“Got any more idee, Hermione?”

Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.

 "It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.

 She rubbed hard on January first. Nothing happened.

“Maybe if we burn it-” suggested Shannon, pulling out a lighter from her robes.

“NO!” all of them shouted.

“Gimme that!” barked Holly, snatching the lighter from Shannon, not trusting the crazy redhead.

 "I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."

Holly bit her lower lip, thoughtfully. She couldn't explain, even to herself, why she didn't just throw Riddle's diary away, maybe because her journal meant so much to her. The fact was that even though she knew the diary was blank, she kept absentmindedly picking it up and turning the pages, as though it were a story she wanted to finish.

And while Holly was sure she had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, it still seemed to mean something to her, almost as though Riddle was a friend she'd had when she was very small, and had half-forgotten. But this was absurd. Neither she nor Harry had ever had friends before Hogwarts; Dudley had made sure of that.

Nevertheless, Holly was pretty determined to find out more about Riddle, so next day at break, she headed for the trophy room to examine Riddle's special award, accompanied by her equally curious twin brother Harry, an interested Hermione, a bored Mad, Shannon and Christian that had nothing better to do, and a thoroughly unconvinced Ron, who told them he'd seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime.

“Poor Ron, getting dragged along by four girls…and Christian~” teased Shannon.

Riddle's burnished gold shield was tucked away in a corner cabinet. It didn't carry details of why it had been given to him ("Good thing, too, or it'd be even bigger and I’d still be polishing it," said Ron). However, they did find Riddle's name on an old Medal for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys.

“Looks like he was a real _golden_ child.” Christian joked getting groans from the others. “Though he could’ve been _framed_.”

“Christian, I suddetto you were banned from puns.” Mad deadpanned.

"He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy ... probably top of every class -"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione in a slightly hurt voice.

“If he’s anything like Percy…It is.” fumed Shannon, not liking the sound of this Riddle guy.

“You’re still irritato at him for what he did?”

“He took my doll guillotine! That was a present from my abuelo! It was a real pain to steal it back!”

The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.

"The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for repotting again," Holly heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs Norris back in no time."


	52. Bk 2: Ch25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the song. It's 'It's My Turn' from RWBY. (Though I did make tiny alterations to fit the story) Hope you enjoy~

It was night time and Holly had snuck out to explore the castle and search for some possible clues about the Chamber of Secrets. She was slinking through one of the hallways in her invisibility cloak, when she heard a clamor come from one of the empty classrooms. She opened the door a crack and peeked in. Maybe the Heir of Slytherin was planning for the next attack.

Inside wasn’t the Heir of Slytherin, but the familiar faces of Becca and Mad Baker dressed in their pajamas. Instead of their usual fist fight they seemed to be talking to each other. Holly knew it was wrong to listen in, but she was really curious about the relationship between the two sisters and why they hated each other so much.

“Why did you invite me here so late night, Madigan? If I get in trouble, I’m going to blame you.” Becca said, looking at her sister with her usual look of disdain as she sat on one of the desks.

“Becca, I thinks it’s time we discutere your attitude……and what happened.”

“Are you finally going to apologize for what you did? Well, it’s too late to make it okay. All those years that I lost…” stated Becca.

“I’m sorry. I really regret-”

“The despair I felt from having the person I trusted most let me down and all of the years that I’ve lost because of you or the fact that everything you’ve tried to hide about your past is bubbling up. Either way, it’s too late to be apologizing now.-”

“Becca…We both know right and wrong can change with time…”

“-Every old lie you’ve told.-”

“Every new truth revealed. Love and loss-”

“-I’ve had my share of both. All thanks to you.” hissed Becca, fiercely glaring at her older sister.

“Please don’t say that. We used to be inseparabile.” Mad pleaded. She reached out to touch her sister’s shoulder, but her hand was harshly slapped away, the sound echoing in the deathly quiet classroom. Becca’s usual bitter composure was broken and replaced with a contorted face of pure fury.

“I had looked up to you! How can I ever trust you again after what you did?!-”

“Can’t you learn to forgive?”

“Then you suddenly leave me?!-”

“Was all our amore for not?” A small smile of relief tugging at Mad’s lips. “At least you’re safe.”

 “How could you turn away from me?!”

“Do you have any idea what I’d give to take it all back?”

“So you don’t have to deal with me anymore?!”

“So I won’t hurt you, I let foolish pride cloud my mente.”

“I’m not blind enough to believe all those lies?!”

“Please tell me how I can risolvere this, so we can move on. I’ll give almost anything.”

“You can’t?! No one can?! Not even me?! I wish I could just be ignorant?! I want to forget everything?!” Becca cradled her pounding head in her as sat on a desk.

“But life doesn’t work that way. I know that I messed it up, but….I-We don’t deserve this. We both have dispiacere and regret over what happened with-”

“You denied my childhood?!”

“I’m only trying to do what is best for us! You’re mia sorellina!” Mad snapped.

“Well I never asked to be your sister?! I never wanted this?! All that I ever wanted is to be your equal?!” Becca looked up from her hands to glare at Mad, tears streaming down her face.

“Look into your heart, you’ll see that I’m-”

“Just stay away from me!? Stop with all your empty pleading!? You’re always trying to be somebody else!? I’ve realized a long time ago that I’m on my own-”

“But I’m right here by your side-”

“But all you have done is lied to me!?”

“Please don’t turn away from me.”

“There’s nothing that you say to change my mind?! You can’t understand, can you?! You always like this?! Stop apologizing already!?”

“You’re the one that can’t comprendere! You’re always so resistente! I’m the only one making an effort! I just want mia sorella back! Why can’t we just get-”

“WHY CAN’T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!?!”

“……Please tell me what I did to make you detesti me so much.” Mad agonized, cringing as Becca’s words painfully stabbed her heart.

“Tell you?! TELL YOU?! You abandoned me and left me to grow up in that empty home!? While you got to be Mom and Dad’s favorite child?!” Becca spat, getting up from her spot to get in Mad’s face.

“I barely ever got to see papà?! And we both NEVER see mamma anymore?! And you really think I abandoned YOU?!”

“I tried to talk to you?! But you were always so busy!? Caring more about becoming heir than your little sister?!- ‘Not today, sorella. I have fenching practice.’- ‘Not right now, sorella, I have to work on my studies.’- ‘Sorry, sorella, but I can’t because of blah blah blah?!’ You were never there?!”

“You really think I wanted that to do all that?! You think I wanted all those lezioni and lectures and work!? Mom needed an heir after fratello was deemed unfit?! I was the next in line?! I DIDN’T have a choice?! I wanted to see you?! I NEVER wanted you to grow up alone?!”

“But I did!? I had lessons of my own but I still tried to see you?! Even worse than being alone was always being compared to YOU!? Always being criticized and scolded for not being like you?! Growing up in your shadow!? While everyone befriended and adored you?!”

“I never said that I wanted you to be like me?! I love you just the way you are?! And I just as solitario as you were?! Being held down as I forced to diventare something I didn’t want to be in the first place?! Being broken and shaped to become the next fantoccio in line?! Wasting my childhood and future?! I’ll end up being stuck with having to follow the regole, being told what to do about everything, and never being able to go out and explore ever again?! Then I come to Hogwarts where I can finally-”

“Make a fool of yourself?! Having fun with your idiotic witch and wizards friends that you care so deeply for?! Thinking it will make a difference?! ”

“I am not a fool?! And don’t mock my friends?!”

“Yes you are?! You’re a reckless fool who only ever sees the things she wants to see?! Making you an even more pathetic excuse for an heir?!”

“But I’m still heir?! And I’m not going to let you treat everyone just as coldly as you always treated me?!”

“Shut up?! Shut up?! You don’t know-”

“You have no idea-”

“What I’ve been through because of you?!” Mad and Becca yelled at the same time.

“Life’s too short to waste another minute on you, Becca?!”

“Well, life’s too short to even have you in it. Madigan?!”

“As soon as this Chamber of Secrets merda ends than I’m never going to parlare to you again?!”

“When this is over I’m never going to see you again?!”

“Is that a death threat, Becca?!”

“Maybe, sis?! Maybe?!” Becca screamed before heading towards the door, Holly ducking out just in time to go unnoticed by the agitated Becca leaving to go back. Holly peered back inside to see Mad’s back as she sat of the desk Becca had sat on earlier. She hunched over with her face in her hand, looking defeated and tired. Holly thought it was time to go back to her dorm, not thinking that there anything she could do or say to Mad to make her feel better.

The next day at breakfast the air was even tenser between Mad and Becca. Becca, Cassie and Abby were still sitting with them, though Becca had chewed them out for saying how she wasted her time helping to brew that Polyjuice Potion and was still addressing them idiots.

Cassie and Abby were busy talking to Mad about their band.

“We loved your performances last year. It nice to know that there are fellow musicians at school.” Cassie said.

“Oh, do you play strumenti, too?”

“Why yes we do, I can play the keyboard and Abby here is a percussionist.”

“I specialize in the tambourine and other hand percussion instruments.”

“Davvero? Because we are looking for some nuovo members to join? Are you any good?”

“My skills are comparatively high-quality.” Abby said.

“Madigan a lady doesn’t brag, but I can play a ditty or two with ease.” Cassie said.

“You should have a ‘jam’ session sometime.” Christian commented, as he held up a slice of toast with some jam. “I bet you can make sweet mus-”

Before Christian could say anymore Shannon shoved a spoon full on peanut butter into his mouth. “That should keep him busy for a good ten minutes.”

“Anyway you should-”

“They are already in a band with me.” Becca spat.

“We are?” Cassie and Abby said, confused.

“Yes you are!...Remember you agreed at the beginning of this year.”

“We did?”

“You did.”

“Oh, okay. Sorry, I already promised Becca.” 

“And a lady never goes back on her word.”

“But she-You don’t- Becca!” Holly and Christian had to hold Mad back from strangling Becca, Cassie and Abby doing the same for Becca.

After composing herself, Becca turned and left. “Abby and Cassie! We’re leaving!”

After breakfast Hermione was helping Harry and Ron with their potions essays in the Gryffindor common room. Holly had left earlier with Mad and Shannon; the Gryffindor trio had only agreed to let Holly wander if she was with others though Holly wasn’t happy (“She was furious.”) about the restriction. They had agreed that she would be safest with the two Slytherins.

Suddenly a whole gaggle of first years went rushing out of the common room, catching the attention of the trio. Ron had grabbed Ginny who was rushing out with the rest of the first years.

“What’s going on, Ginny?” asked Ron.

“…Holly…battle…now…” rambled Ginny between breaking free and heading out of the common room with the other first years.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry’s eyes widened, discarding their work quickly following behind the first years. They followed them all the way down to the passageway close to where Nick had his Death Day party. It was crowded with tons of students from all different houses trying to make their way to the front. As Hermione, Harry, and Ron got closer to the front of the crowd they heard an intense melody.

 _When I was young_  
If I just closed my eyes  
Then I could go anywhere  
Dream of any place Imagination set the pace   
And my heart was happy there 

When the trio had finally managed to push their way up the front they saw Holly, Mad, Shannon, Becca, Cassie, and Abby. Holly, Mad, and Shannon on one side and  Becca, Cassie, and Abby on the other. Mad on guitar, Shannon on drums, Holly on vocals, Cassie on keyboard, Abby on tambourine, and Becca on bass and vocals. Ginny was right they were having a battle…A Battle of the Bands!

 _Becca: What a shame that they came_  
_Round and told me_  
Said my dreams can't come true  
_Holly: "Don't be foolish Give up your wish Big things aren't for you"_  
Becca: And how they'd scold and chide me  
Holly: Forever criticize me  
Both: But now I think I know the truth 

_Both: They were the ones_  
Who held me down and told me I was heading nowhere  
They said know your place  
Holly: Accept your fate and show good face    
Becca: And be thankful that you're there 

_Becca: That was so long ago_  
When they owned me  
I believed it was true  
Holly: Bend me shape me  
Becca: Build me break me  
Why was I they're fool?  
Holly: And now I'm so much stronger  
I'm not theirs any longer  
_I've got a message here for you_

_B_ _oth: Time for you to learn_  
It's my turn  
Holly: I won't be held down any longer  
Becca: I've waited all my life and finally it's here  
Holly: It all begins  
Becca: A chance to win  
Holly: A dream that's been a lifetime  
Becca: An endless vast uphill climb  
Both: The day I've waited for is drawing near 

_Becca: Hey wait turn and show your face_  
_I've got a lot to say_  
And you're not going anywhere  
Holly: You lose; the time they've ruled me's through  
I'm in control I own my soul   
And I'll never go back there 

_Becca: Wasted years that I spent_  
Never knowing I  
was kept, I was used  
Never-ending   
Condescending  
Now I just refuse  
Holly: I don't care what it costs me  
I know I almost lost me  
Won't spend another day confused   

_Holly: They rose I fell_  
Becca: Made my life hell  
Holly: Anything to crush my soul  
Becca: Anything to feel control  
Holly: Finally free I've come so far   
Finally see how sick they are  
I spent my life degraded  
But I won't leave here jaded  
Both: I'll start again and finally prove 

_Both: Time for you to learn_  
It's my turn  
Holly: I won't be held down any longer  
Becca: I've waited all my life and finally it's here  
Holly: It all begins  
Becca: A chance to win  
Holly: A dream that's been a lifetime B  
ecca: An endless vast uphill climb  
Both: The day I've waited for is drawing near

With end of the song the sweating musicians collapsed from fatigue. Holly and Mad sat on the stone floor, gathering their breaths with Abby, Cassie, and Becca doing the same. Shannon fell backwards her still arms held over her head clutching her drumsticks, her head spinning in exhaustion and elation. Ron, Hermione, Christian, and Harry ran over to help up their friends.

“Can’t…play…anymore…” Mad said between her gasps as she rubbed her aching calloused fingers, Ron and Hermione hoisting the tall brunette up.

“So…tired…” Holly said, her voice hoarse from all the singing, letting her head droop onto her brother’s shoulder.

"Shannon, are you okay?” asked Christian, looking down at his master.

“M’kay...I-I-I…just…need…air…can’t…feel…legs…” Shannon said through her drunken bliss.

“Do you need to go to Madame Pomfrey?” said Christian as he picked up Shannon.

“N-no…just give me minute…maybe five…”

“This…isn’t…over…” Becca spat as she collected her breaths.

“Um, Becca…” said Cassie.

“What?!”

“Your makeup’s running.” Becca eyes widened and shrieked. She quickly covered her face, before transforming into her bat form and flying away, Cassie and Abby getting their instruments and following after her. Soon the crowd heard the voice of Filch and everyone scattered to leave before they got in trouble for loitering in the hallway.

“It’s the fuzz! Cheese it!” bellowed Shannon from Christian’s arms, shrinking her drum set and putting it in her pocket. “Get along little dummy!”

Shannon, Mad, Christian, Harry, Holly, Hermione, and Ron hightailed it out of there back to the common room. They spent the rest of their time finishing their homework and playing wizard chess.


	53. Bk 2: Ch26

Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, thought Holly, suspiciously. It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years....

Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that Holly was the guilty one that she had "given herself away" at the Dueling Club, no matter how much Cassie tried to convince him. Peeves wasn't helping matters; he kept popping up in the crowded corridors singing "Oh, Potter, you rotter . . ." now with a dance routine to match, which was annoying as heck.

Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. Holly overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were lining up for Transfiguration.

"I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on him.

"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing..."

He tapped his nose again and strode off.

Holly knew that this wasn’t going to end up well.

Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth. Holly hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, not to mention that she had bits of her transfiguration homework left and now, she hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. And when she entered, for a moment, Holly wondered if she had walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Holly went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron was sitting looking sickened, and Hermione and Cassie seemed to have been overcome with giggles. Mad looked like she was in her own personal circle of hell, Shannon and Abby were ecstatic as they tried to catch the confetti, Christian had looked more concerned about his food, and Becca more concerned with her makeup and making sure confetti didn’t get in her hair. She saw her twin brother sitting right there as well, not really interested in what had become of the Great Hall.

"What's going on?" Holly asked them, sitting down next to Hermione and wiping confetti off her bacon.

Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where he sat, they could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro. Holly couldn’t believe this was happening.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all - and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and, to Holly’s surprise, through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps. WHAT?!

“Okay, forse this won’t be so bad.” Mad said through her giggles. “Almeno I got to see this comico sight.”

“BWHAHAHAHA! They look so ugly that their cute.” cackled Shannon. She seemed to take a page from Lockhart and dressed up. She was wearing a pink fedora with a pink daisy flower crown and angel wing suspenders.

“I don’t know about cute, but this will definitely be interesting.” Holly added.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six,” said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first lesson. Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.

“Anyhoodles~ to distract from that embarrassing moment, Harry give your sister to me. I’ll give you four oxen and my best milking cow.”

“Shannon that won- Are you really thinking about it, Harry?!”

“It’s a good deal.” joked Harry, smiling at the face his sister was making.

“C’mon Holly~~~ When I eventually rule the world I’ll give you half because you’re my lovely wife.” Shannon nuzzled into Holly’s shoulder.

“Hey, what about my share?” commented Mad.

“Don’t worry I love you and Holly both equally. I’ll marry you both and we can honeymoon in the Paris Catacombs. That’s the smart thing to do.”

“No it’s not?!” Holly tried to reason but none of her friends saw anything wrong with it. “Harry?! Ron?! Hermione?! Little help?!”

Ron and Harry seemed to think it was funny. Hermione just ask what season would the wedding be.

“Yahoo~ got the blessing. Dummy, make it happen.” Christian handed Shannon a box from his pocket as she got down on one knee in front of Holly. Mad between them with her hands folded.

“Holly Potter…”

“No.”

“Would you…”

“Absolutely not.”

“…do me the honor…”

“Never in a million years.”

“…of becoming…”

“Not happening.”

“…Mrs…”

“No bloody way.”

“…Shannon Leyba?”

Shannon opened the bow to reveal the biggest diamond ring that Holly had ever seen. Her jaw dropped as she looked at the sparkling gem in the box. She wanted to say no, but Shannon, Christian, and Mad were giving her their puppy dog eyes. She couldn’t say no to those eyes, which usually got her roped in to crazy situations.

“…Fine.” Holly said begrudgingly, knowing that Harry would never allow her to actually get married.

“A yes is a yes! Here’s your ring!”

“Hey, that’s mio ring!” interjected Mad.

“I’ll buy you a penguin.”

“Okay.”

“Mad, marry us quick while she’s distracted by the sparkles!”

“Do you blah blah yadda…”

“I do.” said Shannon.

“Yadda blah blah.” Mad looked at Holly.

“…Whatever.”

“Yay~ Now it’s time for the best part of Valentine’s Day!” said Shannon, as she applied some cherry red lipstick and pushed up her glasses. Holly and Mad knew where this was going. “Testing out new lipstick! I may now kiss the brides~”

Mad and Holly quickly through Christian in front of Shannon, getting him a kiss mark to the nose, as they grabbed their things and high tailed it to their first class, while Shannon was busy washing the cooties off her lips.

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers, and Mad, Shannon, and Holly got tons of them. Mad only caring to eat the blood lollipops and chocolates. Shannon burned all the ones given to her saying how none of the pink and red gifts weren't the way to her heart. (“Not one actual heart or black rose bouquet. Things have really changed since my parents’ time.”) All of Holly’s were anonymous, but she was happy seeing it was the first time in her life that she had even gotten a valentine. Shannon had given her a homemade dream catcher and a chocolate shaped like an actual human heart that oozed cherry filling; Holly was hesitant to eat it at first but lost to Shannon’s puppy dog eyes. It actually tasted pretty good, so it must have been made by Christian.

“You didn’t send any of them to te stesso, did you, Shannon?” Mad asked her best friend, as she shoved valentines into her bag.

“No, the 6 dozen orchids I ordered for myself should already be in our room. What better flower to for someone like moi then the one that represents exotic beauty, refinement, mature charm-”

“Bet a galleon it definitely doesn’t represent humbleness.” Holly stated, rolling her eyes and smiling.

“You are the most narcissistico persona I know.” Mad added.

“When you’re this fabulous, you don’t need to be humble. Besides you know you love me~” Shannon struck a pose like a fashion model and blew kisses to her friends. “Fyi, I won’t tolerate cheating Shannon and Mad, unless the girl is super hot and I can watch.”

“Shannon…” Mad and Holly said.

“You’re both so cute when you’re looking like you’re about to kill me~”

“Maybe we have more fans than we thought.” Holly commented, trying to get off topic before she strangled Shannon.

“Well we have been causing quite a commotion recentemente.”

“Witch please! We don’t cause a commotion; we are one!” Shannon argued as she flipped her hair and snapped her fingers. “Everyone wants to throw us some vibe! Mmm-hmm.”

However, this wasn’t the first or last time the dwarves visited them. Holly was for the first time glad that the school was afraid of her, because she was lucky enough to not receive armfuls of candy and wandering looks like Mad and Shannon, considering most of the people thought she’ll petrify them. Anyway, that afternoon as the Gryffindors were walking upstairs for Charms, one of the dwarfs caught up with Harry.

“Run for your life, Harry!” Holly cried out, but it was already to late.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Harry.

Hot all over at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, Harry tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached him before he'd gone two paces. Holly didn’t know whether to laugh or worry.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in a threatening sort of way.

"Not here," Harry hissed, trying to escape.

"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, grabbing hold of Harry's bag and pulling him back.

"Let me go!" Harry snarled, tugging.

With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. His books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor and his ink bottle smashed over everything. Holly’s eyes widened and she dropped whatever she held and hurried to help him.

Harry scrambled around, trying to pick it all up before the dwarf started singing, causing something of a holdup in the corridor.

"What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. Harry started stuffing everything feverishly into his ripped bag, desperate to get away before Malfoy could hear his musical valentine.

"What's all this commotion?" said another familiar voice as Percy Weasley arrived. Losing his head, Harry tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized him around the knees and brought him crashing to the floor.

“Harry!” said Holly, surprised, trying to help him up. But the grim dwarf wouldn’t let her.

"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine:

_‘His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, His hair is as dark as a blackboard. I wish he was mine, he's really divine, The hero who conquered the Dark Lord.’”_

Harry would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot. Trying valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, he got up with Holly’s help, his feet numb from the weight of the dwarf, as Percy Weasley did his best to disperse the crowd, some of whom were crying with mirth.

"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now," he said, shooing some of the younger students away. "And you, Malfoy-"

Holly, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to Crabbe and Goyle, and she realized that he'd got Riddle's diary. Her eyes widened.

"Give that back," she said quietly.

"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Holly’s own diary. A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to Holly and Harry, looking terrified.

"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving the diary tauntingly at Holly.

Percy said, "As a school prefect -" but Holly had finally lost her temper. However, instead of grabbing Malfoy and punching the ego out of him, she followed her magical instinct and pulled out her wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air. Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.

"Holly!" said Percy loudly, not expecting it from her. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"

But Holly honestly didn't care, she was now one-up on Malfoy, and that was worth five points from Gryffindor any day. Besides, it won’t be a problem to get them back. Malfoy was looking furious, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"

Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class. Snarling, Ron pulled out his wand, too, but Harry pulled him away. Ron didn't need to spend the whole of Charms belching slugs. Holly glared and had to be held back by Ron and Harry.

It wasn't until they had reached Professor Flitwick's class that Holly noticed something rather odd about Riddle's diary. All of Harry’s books were drenched in scarlet ink. The diary, however, was as clean as it had been before it had fallen on the ink bottle. She tried to point this out to Ron and Harry, but Ron was having trouble with his wand again; large purple bubbles were blossoming out of the end, and he wasn't much interested in anything else with Harry trying to do something about it with his own wand.

Holly went to bed before anyone else in her dormitory that night, even Hermione. This was partly because she was tired from beating up Fred and George after they continued singing, "His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad" in front of Harry, and partly because she wanted to examine Riddle's diary again, and knew that others thought she was wasting her time dealing with this stupidity.

After hanging her new dream catcher by the window near her bed, Holly sat on her four-poster and flicked through the blank pages, nibbling on a Cauldron Cake she had received, not one of the pages had a trace of scarlet ink on it. Then she pulled a new bottle out of her bedside cabinet, dipped her quill into it, and dropped a blot onto the first page of the diary. She furrowed her eyebrows.

The green ink shone brightly on the paper for a second and then, as though it was being sucked into the page, vanished. A bit excited and a bit scared, Holly loaded up her quill a second time and wrote, "My name is Holly Potter."

The words shone momentarily on the page and they, too, sank without trace. Then, at last, something happened. How?

Oozing back out of the page, in her very own ink, came words Holly had never written. How can this happen? Holly wondered, shocked, her eyes wide at the words in front of her. She read them twice to make sure.

_"Hello, Holly Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"_

These words, too, faded away, but not before Holly had started to scribble back.

"Someone tried to flush it down a toilet."

She waited curiously for Riddle's reply. Even though this could be dangerous, Holly didn’t care.

_"Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read."_

"What do you mean?" Holly scrawled, her eyebrows raised.

_“I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."_

"That's where I am now," Holly wrote down. "I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"

Her heart was hammering, and she could feel slightly disturbed, should she really be doing this? Riddle's reply came quickly, his writing becoming untidier, as though he was hurrying to tell all he knew.

_"Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who’d opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."_

Holly couldn’t believe it; she wrote back so quickly that the ink bottle almost fell over.

"It's happening again now. There have been three attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?"

 _"I can show you, if you like,"_ came Riddle's reply _. "You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him."_

Holly hesitated, her quill suspended over the diary. What did Riddle mean? How could he be taken inside somebody else's memory? She glanced nervously at the door to the dormitory, which was growing dark. When she looked back at the diary, she saw fresh words forming.

_"Let me show you.”_

Holly paused for a fraction of a second and then wrote two letters.

“OK”

The pages of the diary began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Shocked and a little excited, Holly saw that the little square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned into a miniscule television screen. Her hands trembling slightly, she raised the book to press her eye against the little window, and before she knew what was happening, she was tilting forward; the window was widening, she felt her body leave the comfortable bed, and he was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page, into a whirl of color and shadow.

She felt her feet hit solid ground, and stood, shaking, as the blurred shapes around her came suddenly into focus.

She knew immediately where she was. This circular room with the sleeping portraits was Dumbledore's office - but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk. A wizened, frail looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair, was reading a letter by candlelight. Holly was pretty sure she had never seen this man before. Unless she saw him in a book or something…

"Hey," she said worriedly. "Who are you-"

But the wizard didn't look up. He continued to read, frowning slightly. Holly drew nearer to his desk and tried to look at the letter. She waved her hand around but the wizard ignored her. The man didn’t even seem to have heard her.

She pursed her lips and screamed at the tops of her lungs, wondering if this man was deaf or something. Suddenly, the wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past Holly without glancing at her, and went to draw the curtains at his window. The sky outside the window was ruby-red; it seemed to be sunset. The wizard went back to the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.

Holly looked around the familiar yet not-so-familiar office. No Fawkes the phoenix - no whirring silver contraptions. This was Hogwarts as Riddle had known it, meaning that this unknown wizard was Headmaster, not Dumbledore, and she, Holly, was little more than a phantom, completely invisible to the people of fifty years ago. Holly shivered slightly, not liking the last thought.

There was a knock on the office door.

"Enter," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.

A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. A silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Holly, who was fairly tall herself, he had jet-black hair that reminded her of Harry.

"Ah, Riddle," said the Headmaster.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle. He looked nervous.

"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me.”

"Oh," said Riddle. He sat down, gripping his hands together very tightly.

"My dear boy," said Dipper kindly, "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"

"No," said Riddle at once. "I’d much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that - to that -"

"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.

"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly. Holly narrowed her eyes. This was Riddle? He lived in an orphanage! No wonder the diary.

"You are Muggle-born?"

"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle. "Muggle father, witch mother."

"And are both your parents -?"

"My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me - Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."

Dipper clucked his tongue sympathetically.

"The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "Special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances...."

"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle, and Holly’s heart leapt, and she moved closer slowly, scared of missing anything.

"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light of the recent tragedy ... the death of that poor little girl.... You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the- er - source of all this unpleasantness . . . ."

Riddle's eyes had widened.

"Sir - if the person was caught - if it all stopped -"

"What do you mean?" said Dippet with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"

"No, sir," said Riddle quickly.

But Holly was sure it was the same sort of "no" that she herself had given Dumbledore.

Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.

"You may go, Tom......”

Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Holly followed him.


	54. Bk 2: Ch27

Dippet sank back, looking faintly disappointed.

"You may go, Tom......”

Riddle slid off his chair and slouched out of the room. Holly followed him.

Down the moving spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped, and so did Holly, watching him carefully. She could tell that Riddle was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed.

Then, as though he had suddenly reached a decision, he hurried off, Holly gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase.

"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"

Holly’s eyes widened and she gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year- younger Dumbledore. Wow.

"I had to see the headmaster, sir," said Riddle.

"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Riddle exactly the kind of penetrating stare Holly knew so well. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since..."

He sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off. Riddle watched him walk out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Holly in hot pursuit. Where was he going?

But to Holly’s disappointment, Riddle led her not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel but to the very dungeon in which she had Potions with Snape. The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Holly could only just see him, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside.

It felt to Holly that they were there for at least an hour. All she could see was the figure of Riddle at the door, staring through the crack, waiting like a statue. And just when Holly had stopped feeling expectant and tense and started wishing she could return to the present, she heard something move beyond the door.

Someone was creeping along the passage. She heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where she and Riddle were hidden. Then Riddle, quiet as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Holly following behind him, remembering that she couldn't be heard.

For perhaps five minutes they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises. Holly heard a door creak open, and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"C'mon... gotta get yeh outta here.... C'mon now... in the box..."

There was something familiar about that voice....

Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Holly stepped out behind him. She could see the dark outline of a huge boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.

"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply. What?

The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.

"What yer doin' down here, Tom?"

Riddle stepped closer.

"It's all over," he said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."

"N’ at d'yeh -"

"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and -"

"It never killed anyone!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Holly could hear a funny rustling and clicking. She arched her brow.

"Come on, Rubeus," said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered......”

"It wasn't him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn’t'! He never!"

"Stand aside," said Riddle, drawing out his wand. Holly straightened up, alarmed.

His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Holly jump back and squeal in fascination, she was glad no one could hear her.

A vast, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers - Riddle raised his wand again, but he was too late. The thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt on him, seized his wand, and threw him back down, yelling, "NOOOOOOO!"

The scene whirled, the darkness became complete; Holly felt herself falling and, with a crash, she landed spread-eagled on her four-poster in the Gryffindor dormitory, Riddle's diary lying open on her stomach.

Holly took in deep breathes, trying to regain herself. She rubbed her eye with the palm of her hand and pushed back her hands. She, then, quickly got up and hurried out of the dormitory, down to where her friends were still up, Ron and Harry doing their last bits of homework and Hermione fussing around them. Christian, Shannon, and Mad were playing a game of poker. 

Hermione saw her friend hurrying over and tilted her head, confused. "What's up?" She asked, looking at her with concern. Holly took a deep breath.

"It was Hagrid, guys. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

Holly, Harry, Ron, Mad, Shannon, Christian, and Hermione had always known that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Holly was pretty sure that he'd have gone to any lengths for a glimpse of it. He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs; Holly could just imagine the thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it. But she was equally certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody. However, this, still, made no sense to her.

Holly half wished she hadn't found out how to work Riddle's diary. Again and again Harry, Ron and Hermione made her recount what she'd seen, until she was heartily sick of telling them and sick of the long, circular conversations that followed. She should’ve just asked them to come along, Holly rolled her eyes. She was so tired of all this, she simply gave Harry the diary, not wanting to deal with it anymore.

"Riddle might have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people...."

“Hermione’s right! The Riddle guy could be lying to you as a way to make you think something else. I mean, Hagrid is a little dense sometimes but he wouldn’t hurt a fly!” contended Shannon.

“That could be true, but we have to remember it wasn’t necessariamente Hagrid doing the attacks. It was the creatura, he might be good tamer but a creatura is still a creatura. Besides remember the incidente with Norbert…” added Mad, shivering at the memory of the dragon. 

"How many monsters d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.

“Hard to say with all the APPARENTLY secret chambers around here.” Shannon commented.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Harry miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

Ron tried a different tack.

"Riddle does sound like Percy - who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?"

"But the monster had killed someone, Ron," said Hermione.

"And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here......”

"You met Hagrid down Knockturn Alley, didn't you?"

"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," said Holly quickly, cutting in.

“Besides where you go shopping isn’t an irrefutable defense.” Shannon argued.

The seven of them fell silent. After a long pause, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all in a hesitant voice.

"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?"

"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"'

“‘Yeah, Hagrid. Maybe something big and dangerous that has a hobby of attacking people.’ That would go over nicely.” stated Shannon with a roll of her eyes. “How about to soften that blow we hit him with a cactus first? Then squirt some lemon juice in his eyes and shove a honey badger down his-” 

“That’s enough, Shannon. If the momento comes where we have to ask him I think we should take a more Slytherin-esque approach.” suggested Mad.

In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack, and as more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled. It was now nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves had finally got bored of his "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan asked Holly quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools in Herbology one day, and in March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.

"The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature," she told Holly, who was looking at them, quite interested. "Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."

The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.

"It could affect our whole future," she told Holly, Mad, Christian, Shannon, Harry and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.

"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."

“He is always telling me how he would be the perfect model for my mom’s spring line. I swear if I hear him mention it one more time I’m going to take my sewing kit and sew his obnoxious mouth shut. Plus he is scared of Madigan and Christian, like he’s never seen a vampire or lyca before.” added Shannon.

They looked at Holly who was too concentrated looking through her subjects to comment, wondering which ones to keep and which ones not to.

“Sis?” Harry called. Holly’s attention snapped towards her twin brother. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,”

On the other hand, Neville Longbottom was certainly not ‘fine’. He had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who, like the Potters, had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione and Mad took nobody's advice but signed up for everything, urging Holly to do the same. Mad and Shannon were telling her to take Muggle Music with them and Abby was going on about learning to make magical paintings in Art class. 

Holly smiled grimly to herself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if they tried to discuss their career in wizardry with them. Not that she didn't get any guidance: Percy Weasley was eager to share his experience.

"Depends where you want to go, Holly," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I’d recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them - look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Holly."

Holly thought hardly about her choices and ended up choosing the Muggle Music, Divination, and Care of Magical Creatures. She didn’t need really care about the subjects she taking or wasn’t taking. Hermione tried to make her change her mind and Holly decided to add Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes. She didn’t need to go with Muggle Studies; she has already dealt with the worse of the kind. Besides, she also had Quidditch.

Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Holly barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. Not that she minded, at least she didn’t have to talk much. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match she went up to her dormitory to drop off her broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better. She was pumped about this. Harry had decided to go along with her, feeling like they had been spending very little time together.

But their cheerful mood didn't last long. At the top of the stairs to the dormitory, they met Neville Longbottom, who was looking frantic.

"Harry - I don't know who did it - I just found -"

Watching Harry fearfully, Neville pushed open the door. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and peeked into Harry’s dormitory.

“What the bloody hell?!” 

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet, the contents strewn over the mattress.

Harry walked over to the bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages of Travels with Trolls. As he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, Dean, and Seamus came in. Holly was ranting about what she’ll do when she finds out who did this while picking up all the books and pages, putting them in their respective places. Dean swore loudly.

"What happened, Harry?"

"No idea," said Harry. But Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.

"Someone's been looking for something," said Ron. "Is there anything missing?"

Harry started to help Holly pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that he realized what wasn't there.

"Riddle's diary's gone," he said in an undertone to Ron and Holly, who dropped the books she was carrying.

"What?!"

Harry jerked his head toward the dormitory door and the other two followed him out. They hurried down to the Gryffindor common room, which was half-empty, and joined Hermione, who was sitting reading a book called Ancient Runes Made Easy. Mad, Christian, and Shannon were roasting marshmallows and playing cards.

They looked aghast at the news.

“Harry’s been rustled! Could it be a boy version of a panty raid-OW!”

“Shannon don’t be a vulgar idiota! Any idea who could have done this, Harry?”

"But - only a Gryffindor could have stolen - nobody else knows our password -"

"Exactly," said Harry.


	55. Bk 2: Ch28

"Exactly," said Harry.

“Unless someone else–” Ron threw a wary look towards Mad, Christian, and Shannon.

“Oh sure, blame the Slytherins when something gets stolen from a Gryffindor. Not cool, dude!” Shannon crossed her arms.

“Si, for your informazioni we’ve been here with Hermione comparing our Herbology notes.”

“Oh…sorry.”

 “Okay, all hands on deck people! First thing to do is seal off the crime scene.” said Shannon pulling out two rolls of yellow tape. “Christian, you handle to dorm I’ll take the other crime scene while Mad rounds up the suspects.”

“What other crime scene?” Harry asked, only for Shannon to turn and smile towards him. It wasn’t long before Harry was covered in yellow tape.

“That look like enough tape to you guys?”

“You missed a spot on his left.” said Ron.

“Don’t worry, Harry. We’ll find whoever did this. Mad! Christian!”

Christian came rushed down tangled in tape and Mad came down with Neville, Dean, and Seamus.

“Crime scene secured.”

“I got the sospetti.” Mad said with a roll of her eyes.

The boys defended that they had no reason or motive to steal anything from Harry. Mad agreeing with them saying that they weren’t smart enough (“Hey!”) to know what the journal was. Christian couldn’t track the scent due to there being the scent of so many other people in the dorm room. Shannon was not pleased by this.

“I don’t care about your excuses! I want you to find this Nancy boy Elliot Ness and I want him dead, I want his family dead, I want his house burned to the ground! I wanna go out in the middle o’ the nig-”

Mad hit Shannon over the head with Ancient Runes Made Easy. “Stop with la stupido movies quotes?!”

“The Untouchables isn’t stupid! It’s one of the best movies ever made! It’s an absolute class-IC!?” Mad hit her with a book again.

“Not the point!”

They woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Holly, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

Holly had been staring down the packed Gryffindor table with narrowed eyes, wondering if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right in front of her eyes. Hermione had been urging Harry to report the robbery, but Harry didn't like the idea and neither did Holly. They’d have to tell a teacher all about the diary, and how many people knew why Hagrid had been expelled fifty years ago? They didn't want to be the one who brought it all up again.

Shannon had offered to track down the culprit and ‘take care of them’ (as she put it), but was turned down. That still didn’t stop her from appointing herself the detective on the case, though no one believed she actually figured out the culprit. (“Okay guys after going through all the information I think I’ve determined who the culprit is!” exclaimed Shannon, flipping through her notepad and pushing up her glasses. “According to my calculations the culprit is none other than…Ginn–Wait! That can’t be right! Give me a minute! I think forgot to add something!”)

As Holly left the Great Hall with Shannon, Mad, Christian, Harry, Ron and Hermione to go and collect her Quidditch things, another very serious worry was added to Holly’s growing list. She had just set foot on the marble staircase when she heard it yet again. She froze.

_"Kill this time... let me rip... tear..."_

She screamed aloud and her friends jumped away from her in alarm.

Shannon quickly pulled a bat from her robes. “What is it?! Crazy fan?! Peeves?! Another attack?! Socks with sandals?!”

"The voice!" said Holly, looking over her shoulder in horror and fear. "I just heard it again - didn't you?"

Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Harry looked around, confused, straining his ears to listen. Shannon, Christian, and Mad were on the defensive waiting in case something tried to petrify them. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Holly - I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library! "

And she sprinted away, up the stairs. Holly looked at her disappearing figure.

"What does she understand?" said Harry distractedly; still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.

"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.

"But why's she got to go to the library?"

"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."

“Hermione’s brain is a weapon, a tool, and a library all wrapped in one.” added Shannon. “That has saved our butts more than once…”

“…and will probabilmente save us more in the futuro. I’d bet my left fang on that.” said Mad.

Holly wasn’t listening, she was too busy trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind them, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.

"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven - the match -”

A red flash raced pass the group up to Gryffindor Tower, collected her Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but her mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as she pulled on her scarlet robes in the locker room, her only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game. What’s wrong with her?

The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.

Holly was just mounting her broom to get off when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.

Holly's heart dropped like a stone.

"This match has been cancelled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play - the cup Gryffindor -"

Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone:

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Holly and Harry (who was a little way away) over to her.

"Potters, I think you'd better come with me......”

Wondering how she could possibly suspect her this time, Holly saw Shannon, Mad, Christian, Cassie, Abby, and Ron detach himself from the complaining crowd; they came running up to them as they set off toward the castle. To Holly's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.

"Yes, perhaps you'd all better come, too.....”

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being cancelled; others looked worried. Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. But they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack... a triple attack."

Holly's insides did a horrible somersault, she felt like throwing up. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and all of them entered.

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair. Holly recognized her as the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. And on the beds next to her was –

"Hermione!" Ron groaned.

“Becca!” Cassie and Abby cried.

Hermione laid utterly still, her eyes open and glassy, Becca in the same state but with a panicked expression and her glasses placed on the table next to her, she looked like she had been trying to run away. Holly staggered backwards, being caught by Shannon and Christian.

“No…” She stood over the hospital bed her best friend was lying in, not believing her eyes. Mad silently walked up to her sister’s bed, removing her glasses to check if she was actually seeing this. Abby and Cassie had buried their heads in the bed sheets as they cried at their eyes out, while Mad just stood there silent and emotionless.

"Those two were found near the library, Ms. Baker was found further down the hall." said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose any of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them......”

She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

Mad explained that Becca couldn’t use mirrors due to not having a reflection, so it couldn’t be hers. Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Holly who just painfully stared at Hermione, blaming herself for this happening.

"I will escort you back to your common rooms," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case. Ms Potter, come along,”

It took quite some time to persuade Holly to go to the Gryffindor common room, as she didn’t want to leave Hermione’s side (“I can’t, Professor!”). The same happening with a sniffling Abby and Cassie, while Mad just quietly walked out. However, Harry and Ron managed to get Holly along and while returning to the common room, she almost lost her mind, turning around and trying to get away, yelling about killing that damned monster and finding whoever caused this before hunching over in defeat.

 _‘I shouldn’t have let her go alone, I was focused more on a dumb Quidditch than my best friend’s safety. It’s all my fault. I should be the one petrified.’_ Holly kept thinking, feeling numb, sad and angry, her hair had gone black and lifeless.

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, two Ravenclaws, and one Hufflepuff,” said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin - why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.

Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.

 _‘May I remind you that one of those Ravenclaws has a sister in Slytherin?!’_ Holly was tempted to shout out, but had lost her will and everyone knew how bad Mad and Becca’s relationship was, remembering the fight she overheard when she went sneaking around. They’d probably think it was Mad that caused Becca to get petrified.

"Percy's in shock," George told Holly and Harry, quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl - Penelope Clearwater - she's a prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a prefect." But Holly was only half-listening. She didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione, lying on the hospital bed as though carved out of stone, she even considered Becca somewhat of a friend. And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, she was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys. But she didn’t care; she was feeling too guilty about not being with Hermione when she needed her and just wanted her best friend back. Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced with the prospect of a Muggle orphanage if the school closed. Holly now knew exactly how he had felt.

"What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly to Harry and Holly. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"

"We've got to go and talk to him," said Harry, making up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in our tower unless we're in class -"

"I think," said Harry, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old cloak out again."

They went to bed at the usual time, waited until Neville, Dean, and Seamus had stopped discussing the Chamber of Secrets and finally fallen asleep, then got up, dressed again, and threw the cloak over themselves.

Holly, on the other hand, didn’t stay in her dormitory for long; she simply got her cloak and went back downstairs, sitting in front of the fire. Looking at Hermione’s empty bed was too much for her. However, she was unexpectedly joined by George Weasley. This time, neither of them spoke. Both of them lost in their individual thoughts, looking in the fire.

It wasn’t long before Holly turned her attention to the Weasley twin sitting next to her, who hadn’t noticed the sudden change in interest. She thought of George as more of a quieter, gentler twin, if possible. Remembering how he and his twin comforted a while back. She sighed, looking over his physical appearance that clearly showed off the fact that he was a Weasley. He had flaming-red hair that Holly felt like touching but thought of as inappropriate, freckles and taller than her.

“Are you okay?” Holly snapped her attention back to reality.

“You’ve been staring, is there something on my face?” George said, slightly joking. Holly blushed realizing what she was doing and quickly turned away.

“It’s nothing,” She mumbled.

George furrowed his eyebrows. “Thinking about Hermione?”

Holly looked up, a guilty expression of her face. “Yes,” She said, almost inaudibly. She felt George softly touch her hand. “It’s okay, I’m sure Professor Sprout is almost done with the Mandrakes and Hermione will be around in no time,”

“I know, but it still hurts.” Holly mumbled. “…It’s all my fault.”

George’s eyes saddened. “Holly-”

But before George could finish, Harry and Ron came into the common room, they were pretty worried about being seen by George. “Do you think we’re had?” whispered Ron to Harry, Harry shook his head. He pulled him along and tried to signal Holly about the visit to Hagrid. Holly noticed.

The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Holly, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset. Teachers, prefects, and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Even Ron, who knew Holly was just behind them, kept asking if George had figured out what they were up to.

“No Ron, he doesn’t. We’re just secretly dating and you interrupted our date.” she said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

“No seriously-OW!” Ron rubbed his injured arm.

“Why’s that so hard to believe!?”

“Just that I don’t see the appeal of a girl who hits people?!”

“I hit you because you say stupid stuff!”

“Be quiet the both of you.” Harry interjected.

Their Invisibility Cloaks didn't stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed Harry’s toe only yards from the spot where Snape stood standing guard. Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open. It was a clear, starry night. They hurried toward the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the cloaks only when they were right outside his front door.

Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind him.

"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you three doin' here?"

"What's that for?" said Holly, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.

"Nothin' - nothin' -” Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin' doesn' matter - Sit down - I'll make tea-"

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid?" said Harry. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.

He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Holly followed their example and quickly hurried to the other side, mumbling as she managed to hide behind Harry and Ron. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.

The stranger had rumpled grey hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"

Harry elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up, Holly coving his mouth, furrowing her eyebrows. What is he doing here though?

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something - the school governors have been in touch -"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Holly had never seen before.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty -"

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology -"

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.

Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door.

Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry's turn for an elbow in the ribs; he'd let out an audible gasp. Holly looked over and her eyes widened.

Mr Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl. No.

"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good. . ."

"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your - er - d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension - you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggleborns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended - no, no - last thing we want just now…”

"The appointment - or suspension - of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks -"

"See here, Malfoy, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"

"That remains to be seen," said Mr Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted -"

Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling.

“An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggleborns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside -"

"But -" stuttered Fudge.

"No!” growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold grey ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.”

For a second, Holly was almost sure Dumbledore’s eyes flickered towards the corner where she, Harry and Ron stood hidden.

“Admirable sentiments,” said Malfoy, bowing. “We shall all miss you – er – highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any – ah – ‘killin’s’.”

He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath and said carefully, “If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they’d have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That’d lead ‘em right! That’s all I’m sayin’.”

Fudge stared at him in amazement.

“All right, I’m comin’,” said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, “An’ someone’ll need ter feed Fan while I’m away.”

The door banged shut and Ron pulled the Invisibility Cloak off. Holly took off hers too, shocked at the sudden turn of events.

“We’re in trouble now," he said hoarsely. “No Dumbledore. They might well close the school tonight. There’ll be an attack a day with him gone.”

Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door. Holly felt like she was about to throw up.


	56. Bk 2: Ch29

Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Holly; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle, where things were so horribly wrong.

Mad hadn’t talked and walked around in a daze since Becca and Hermione was discovered, even with Shannon and Christian trying to cheer her up, though they weren’t feeling so good as well. When they weren’t in class Mad would just fiddle with her guitar. Cassie and Abby wouldn’t stop crying about their friend or the fact that they may be next. They had seemed to seek comfort in Holly, who had at least managed to hide her sorrow.

She, Harry and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing. Mad, Abby, and Cassie doing the same with Becca.

"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off..." That sent Cassie and Abby into sobs and latch onto Holly again, soaking the Gryffindor’s robes in tears.

Christian couldn’t take it anymore; he latched onto Holly for support and started howling too. “I can’t bear seeing other people cry.”

“I’m not crying, I’m just bleeding water from my eyes.” Shannon defended, joining the others in the saddest group hug Holly ever received.

Holly took it upon herself to try and act the strongest. “I know this is a terrible time, but we won’t get anything done by crying about it.”

“I’m mostly crying, because you’re not crying.” Christian sniffled, bawling louder and  tightening his squeeze on Holly.

“What? Me? What about Mad? She hasn’t cried at all!”

“Mad cries on the inside Holly?!” Shannon shouted, pointing to Mad, who just shrugged.

Similar things were happening to the other students. With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

Dumbledore’s final words were constantly been repeated in Holly’s mind since that night "I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me... Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." But what good were these words? Who exactly were they supposed to ask for help, when everyone was just as confused and scared as they were? Were they meant for the three of them? Did Dumbledore sense them standing there?

Hagrid's hint about the spiders was far easier to understand the trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the castle to follow. Holly looked everywhere she went, helped by Harry, Shannon, Christian, Cassie, Abby and (rather reluctantly) by Ron. They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they weren't allowed to wander off on their own but had to move around the castle in a pack with the other housemates. Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Holly found it very bothersome.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Holly didn't realize what he was so pleased about until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when, sitting right behind Malfoy; she overheard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long; she's only filling in......” Holly clutched her hand into a fist, wanting to punch him. That’d make her feel way better.

Snape swept past Holly, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.

"Sir," said Malfoy loudly. "Sir, why don't you apply for the headmaster's job?"

"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

"Yeah, right," said Malfoy, smirking. "I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job - I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir -"

Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon, fortunately not spotting Seamus Finnigan, who was pretending to vomit into his cauldron.

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy went on. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger -"

The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Holly and Ron both had leapt off their stools and in the scramble to collect bags and books, their attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed.

"Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms.

"I don't care?! I don't need my wand?!  I'm going to kill him with my bare hands -" Parvati and Seamus held Holly back, dragging her away before she got herself expelled.

“He’s not worth it, guys. Hermione wouldn’t want you guys to get in trouble.” Shannon said, but she had that ‘we’ll-get-him-back-for-you’ expression as Christian and Shannon followed the rest of the Slytherins.

"Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they marched, with Holly, Harry, Ron, Parvati, Seamus and Dean bringing up the rear, both of the redheads still trying to get loose. It was only safe to let go of them when Snape had seen them out of the castle and they were making their way across the vegetable patch toward the greenhouses.

“Why won’t you let me punch him?”

“Because you wouldn’t be able to stop.”

“……You know me well, Harry.”

The Herbology class was very subdued; there were now two missing from their number, Justin and Hermione.

Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivel-figs. Holly, absent-mindedly, went to tip an armful of withered stalks onto the compost heap and found herself face-to-face with Ernie Macmillan. Ernie took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Holly, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologize for all the stuff I said. We're all in the same boat now, and, well -"

He held out a pudgy hand, and Holly shook it slowly.

Ernie and his friend Hannah came to work at the same Shrivel-fig as Cassie, Holly, Harry and Ron.

"That Draco Malfoy character," said Ernie, breaking off dead twigs, "he seems very pleased about all this, doesn't he? D'you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."

"That's clever of you," said Ron, who didn't seem to have forgiven Ernie as readily as Holly.

"Do you think it’s Malfoy, Holly?" Ernie asked.

"No," said Holly, so firmly that Ernie and Hannah stared. Cassie distracted them by asking to borrow their pruning shears.

A second later, Holly spotted something.

Several large spiders were scuttling over the ground on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line as though taking the shortest route to a prearranged meeting. Holly’s eyes narrowed and she hit Ron over the hand with her pruning shears and nudged Harry by her elbow.

"Ouch! What're you -"

Holly pointed out the spiders, following their progress with her darkened and bagged green eyes screwed up against the sun.

"Oh, yeah," said Ron, trying, and failing, to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now-" Ernie and Hannah were listening curiously.

On the other hand, Harry’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the spiders too. If they pursued their fixed course, there could be no doubt about where they would end up.

"Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest...."

And Ron looked even unhappier about that.

At the end of the lesson Professor Sprout escorted the class to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Holly, Harry and Ron lagged behind the others so they could talk out of earshot.

"We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloaks again," Harry told Ron and Holly. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."

"Right," said Ron, who was twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "Er - aren't there - aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?" he added as they took their usual places at the back of Lockhart's classroom.

Preferring not to answer that question, Holly said, "You hang out with Christian and Mad all the time and that’s what you’re worried about? Besides there are good things in there, too. The centaurs are all right, and the unicorns...”

Ron had never been into the Forbidden Forest before. The Potters had entered it only once and had hoped never to do so again.

Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant. Holly rolled her eyes at the idiot in front of her.

"Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"

People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.

"Don't you people realize," said Lockhart, speaking slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away -"

"Says who?" said Dean Thomas loudly.

"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty," said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two.

"Oh, yes he would," said Ron, even more loudly than Dean.

"I flatter myself I know a touch more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr Weasley," said Lockhart in a self-satisfied tone. Holly extremely tempted to hex him.

Ron started to say that he didn't think so, somehow, but stopped in midsentence when Harry kicked him hard under the desk.

"We weren't there, remember?" Harry muttered.

But Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness, his hints that he had always thought Hagrid was no good, his confidence that the whole business was now at an end, irritated Holly so much that she yearned to throw Gadding with Ghouls right in Lockhart's stupid face. Her eyes were a scorching red and hair a blaze with anger. Instead she contented herself with scrawling (almost stabbing the poor desk) a note to Ron and Harry: _Let’s go tonight._

Harry looked at the note and passed it to Ron, who read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione next to Holly. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded.

The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o'clock onward the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go. They also had plenty to talk about, with the result that the common room often didn't empty until past midnight.

Holly had gotten her Invisibility Cloak out of her trunk, yet again, right after dinner, just like Harry. Mad, Shannon, and Christian were confined in their own common room, so they couldn’t help. So they had to spend the evening sitting on it, waiting for the room to clear before sneaking out. Fred and George challenged Harry, Ron and Holly to a few games of Exploding Snap, which the latter politely refused and sat with Ginny, watching them, very subdued in Hermione’s usual chair. Harry and Ron kept losing on purpose, trying to finish the games quickly, but even so, it was well past midnight when Fred, George, and Ginny finally went to bed.

Holly, Harry and Ron waited for the distant sounds of two dormitory doors closing before seizing the cloaks, throwing it over themselves, and climbing through the portrait hole.

It was another difficult journey through the castle, dodging all the teachers. At last they reached the entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak front doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds.

"'Course," said Ron abruptly as they strode across the black grass, "we might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but..."

His voice trailed away hopefully.

They reached Hagrid's house, sad and sorry-looking with its blank windows. When Holly pushed the door open, Fang went mad with joy at the sight of them. Worried he might wake everyone at the castle with his deep, booming barks; they hastily fed him treacle fudge from a tin on the mantelpiece, which glued his teeth together.

“I’m so sorry, Fang, but we can’t get caught if you ever want to get Hagrid back.” Holly told the hound.

Harry left the Invisibility Cloaks on Hagrid's table. There would be no need for it in the pitch-dark forest.

"Come on, Fang, we're going for a walk," said Holly, patting his leg, and Fang bounded happily out of the house behind them, dashed to the edge of the forest, and lifted his leg against a large sycamore tree.

She took out her wand, murmured, "Lumos!" and a tiny light appeared at the end of it, just enough to let them watch the path for signs of spiders. Harry followed her example.

"Good thinking," said Ron. "I’d light mine, too, but you know - it'd probably blow up or something......”

Holly tapped Ron on the shoulder, pointing at the grass. Two solitary spiders were hurrying away from the wand-light into the shade of the trees.

"Okay," Ron sighed as though resigned to the worst, "I'm ready. Let's go."

So, with Fang scampering around them, sniffing tree roots and leaves, they entered the forest. By the glow of Harry and Holly's wands, they followed the steady trickle of spiders moving along the path. They walked behind them for about twenty minutes, not speaking, listening hard for noises other than breaking twigs and rustling leaves. Then, when the trees had become thicker than ever, so that the stars overhead were no longer visible, and Harry and Holly's wands shone alone in the sea of dark, they saw their spider guides leaving the path.

Holly paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside their little spheres of light was pitch-black. They had never been this deep into the forest before. She could vividly remember Hagrid advising them not to leave the forest path last time she’d been in here. But Hagrid was miles away now, probably sitting in a cell in Azkaban, and he had also said to follow the spiders.

Something wet touched Harry's hand and he jumped backward, crushing Ron’s foot and startling Holly but it was only Fang's nose.

"What d'you reckon?" Harry said to Holly and Ron, whose eyes he could just make out, reflecting the light from his wand.

"We've come this far," said Ron. Holly looked around, waving her wand where her gaze went.

They followed the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now; there were tree roots and stumps in their way, barely visible in the near blackness. Harry could feel Fang's hot breath on his hand. More than once, they had to stop, so that Holly could crouch down and find the spiders in the wand light.

They walked for what seemed like at least half an hour, their robes snagging on low-slung branches and brambles. After a while, they noticed that the ground seemed to be sloping downward, though the trees were as thick as ever.

Then Fang suddenly let loose a great, echoing bark, making Holly, Harry and Ron jump out of their skins.

"What?" said Ron loudly, looking around into the pitch-dark, and gripping Harry's elbow very hard, who himself was grabbing onto Holly with his free hand. Holly, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes, looking around on the defense.

"There's something moving over there," Holly breathed. "Listen... sounds like something big......”

They listened. Some distance to their right, the something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.

"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh -"

"Shut up," said Harry frantically. "It'll hear you."

"Hear me?" said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"

The darkness seemed to be pressing on their eyeballs as they stood, terrified, waiting. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.

"What d'you think it's doing?" said Harry.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.

They waited, shivering, hardly daring to move. Holly raised her wand, her eyes narrowed into slits.

"D'you think it's gone?" Harry whispered.

"Dunno -"

Then, to their right, came a sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness that both of them flung up their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run, but got lodged in a tangle of thorns and yelped even louder.

"Harry!" Ron shouted, his voice breaking with relief "Harry! Holly! it's our car!"

"What?"

“Seriously?”

"Come on!"

Holly followed Ron and Harry toward the light, stumbling and nearly tripping, and a moment later they had emerged into a clearing.

Mr Weasley's car was standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense branches, its headlights ablaze. As Ron walked, open-mouthed, toward it, it moved slowly toward him, exactly like a large, turquoise dog greeting its owner.

"It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly, walking around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild...."

“Where did your father get this car?” asked Holly arching her brow, thinking how that wasn’t even the weirdest thing she’s seen since coming to Hogwarts.

The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem at all keen on it; he kept close to Holly, who could feel him quivering. Her breathing slowing down again, Holly stuffed her wand back into her robes.

"And we thought it was going to attack us!" said Ron, leaning against the car and patting it. "I wondered where it had gone!"

Holly squinted around on the floodlit ground for signs of more spiders, but they had all scuttled away from the glare of the headlights.

"We've lost the trail," she said. "C'mon, let's go and find them."

Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on a point some ten feet above the forest floor, right behind Holly and Harry. His face was livid with terror.

Holly didn't even have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly she felt something long and hairy seize her around the middle and lift her off the ground, so that she was hanging facedown.

“What the bloody hell!?” shouted Holly.

Harry not more than a few feet away from her. Struggling, terrified, she heard more clicking, and saw Ron's legs leave the ground, too, heard Fang whimpering and howling - next moment, he was being swept away into the dark trees.

Head hanging, Holly saw that what had hold of her was marching on six immensely long, hairy legs, the front two clutching her tightly below a pair of shining black pincers. Behind her, she could hear another of the creatures, no doubt carrying Ron and/or Harry. They were moving into the very heart of the forest. She could hear Fang fighting to free himself from a forth monster, whining loudly.

“Let me go,” Holly kicked and flailed, her voice echoing through the trees. “LET ME GO!”

Holly never knew how long she was in the creature's clutches, struggling; she only knew that the darkness suddenly lifted enough for her to see that the leaf-strewn ground was now swarming with spiders. Craning her neck sideways, she realized that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene she had ever laid eyes on.


	57. Bk 2: Ch30

Spiders. Not tiny spiders like those surging over the leaves below. Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. The massive specimen that was carrying Holly made its way down the steep slope toward a misty, domed web in the very centre of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its load.  
Holly fell to the ground on all fours as the spider released her. Harry, Ron and Fang thudded down next to her. Fang wasn't howling anymore, but cowering silently on the spot. Harry was frozen in shock and Ron looked exactly like Harry. His mouth was stretched wide in a kind of silent scream and his eyes were popping.

Holly suddenly realized that the spider that had dropped her was saying something. It had been hard to tell, because he clicked his pincers with every word he spoke.

"Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"

And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was grey in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. He was blind.

"What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly.

"Men and a woman," clicked the spider that had caught Holly.

"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer, his eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.

"Strangers," clicked the spider that had brought Ron.

"Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping......”

"Wait! We're friends of Hagrid's, he sent us here! Please don’t eat us!" Holly shouted suddenly. Her heart seemed to have left her chest to pound in her throat. She wasn’t really scared of spiders but she definitely had her trepidations about being eaten…especially alive.

Click, click, click went the pincers of the spiders all around the hollow.

Aragog paused.

"Hagrid has never sent men or women into our hollow before," he said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble," said Holly, trying to stay calm, giving Harry a quick glance. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" said the aged spider, and Holly could’ve sworn she heard concern beneath the clicking pincers. "But why has he sent you?"

Holly thought of getting to her feet but decided against it; thinking that sudden movement might agitate the spiders. So she spoke from the ground, as calmly as she could, trying not to do something that she might regret.

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a – a – something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban thing that he opened the Chamber of Secrets."  
Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except applause didn't usually make Holly feel sick with dread.

"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that I was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

"And you... you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" said Harry suddenly, who could feel cold sweat on his forehead.

"I!" said Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveller gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness......”

Holly’s sighed in relief, that it wasn’t Hagrid. She had to make sure, temporarily forgetting the situation they were in.

"So you never attacked anyone?"

"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet......”

"But then... Do you know what did kill that girl?" said Holly. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again-"

Her words were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting angrily; large black shapes shifted all around her.

"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."

"What is it?" said Harry urgently.

More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed to be closing in.

"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."

Holly didn't want to press the subject, not with the spiders pressing closer on all sides; she gave Harry a look that he understood in a second. Aragog seemed to be tired of talking. He was backing slowly into his domed web, but his fellow spiders continued to inch slowly toward Holly, Harry and Ron.

"We'll just go, then," Holly called desperately to Aragog, hearing leaves rustling behind them.

"Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not......”

"W-what do you mean?”

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid."

Holly spun around. Feet away, towering above her, was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes gleaming in their ugly black heads.

Even as she reached for her wand, Holly knew deep down that it was no good, there were too many of them, but as she tried to stand, ready to die fighting, a loud, long note sounded, and a blaze of light flamed through the hollow.

Mr Weasley's car was thundering down the slope, headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside; several were thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screeched to a halt in front of Holly, Harry and Ron and the doors flew open.

"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat with Ron following in the front too; Holly seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car, getting in with him - the doors slammed shut - Ron didn't touch the accelerator but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders. They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path it obviously knew.

Holly was energetically hugging the car’s seat prattling off thanks yous for saving them. Harry looked sideways at Ron. His mouth was still open in the silent scream, but his eyes weren't popping anymore.

"Are you okay?"

Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak.

They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, and Holly saw the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak. After ten noisy, rocky minutes, the trees thinned, and Holly could again see patches of sky.

The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield. They had reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window in his anxiety to get out, and when Holly opened the door, he shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs. Holly and Harry got out too, and after a minute or so, Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed, still stiff-necked and staring. Harry gave the car a grateful pat as it reversed back into the forest and disappeared from view.

Holly let out a deep breath and went back into Hagrid’s cabin to get the Invisibility Cloaks. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket. When Holly gave him a hug and scratched his ears to ease his trembling, she found Ron being violently sick in the pumpkin patch. Harry stood nearby, looking quite sick himself.

"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Harry.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" He was shivering uncontrollably now. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I’d like to know?"

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said Holly, throwing the cloak over Ron and Harry before getting into her own cloak. "He was innocent."

Ron gave a loud snort. Evidently, hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent.

As the castle loomed nearer Holly mumbled Harry to make sure their feet were hidden before she pushed open the creaking front doors. They walked carefully back across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, holding their breath as they passed corridors where watchful sentries were walking. At last they reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room, where the fire had burned itself into glowing ash. They took off the cloaks and climbed the winding stair to their dormitories.

Holly bid them a quiet good night and went off to her own dormitory. She snuck inside, careful not to wake anyone as she hid her cloak back in her trunk and pulled out her pajamas. She decided that today, she didn’t feel like sitting in the common room. However, as she slipped into her bed, feeling the comfortable mattress under her weight, she couldn’t sleep.

The creature that, whatever it was, was lurking somewhere in the castle, she thought, sounded like a sort of monster Voldemort - even other monsters didn't want to name it. But she, Harry and Ron were no closer to finding out what it was, or how it petrified its victims. Even Hagrid had never known what was in the Chamber of Secrets.

She snuggled into the covers and sighed softly, looking out the tower window, to the shining moon that was peeking out of the clouds. Holly could make out Hermione’s empty bed and sighed again.

She couldn't see what else they could do. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin had got off, and no one could tell whether it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the Chamber this time. There was nobody else to ask. She HAD to find something. She HAD to fix this! Holly lay down, still thinking about what Aragog had said.

She was becoming drowsy when what seemed like their very last hope occurred to her, and she suddenly sat bolt upright. Her eyes widened, and without caring about a single thing, she hurried out of her dormitory and hurried down to the boys section, she saw Harry still up and hurried over, shaking him. Harry quickly sat up, seeing his sister in his dormitory. Holly looked over at Ron’s bed, who was sound asleep, still in his robes.

"Ron," she hissed through the dark, "Ron-"

Ron woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around, and saw Holly and Harry.

"Ron, Harry - that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom," said Holly, ignoring Neville's snuffing snores from the corner. "What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"

Ron rubbed his eyes, frowning through the moonlight. And then he understood, too.

"You don't think - not Moaning Myrtle?"

“All those times we were in that bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast next day, and we could've asked her, and now..."

It had been hard enough trying to look for spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girls' bathroom, the girls' bathroom, moreover, right next to the scene of the first attack, was going to be almost impossible.

But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration that drove the Chamber of Secrets out of their minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall told them that their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.

“Exams?" howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting exams?"

There was a loud bang behind Holly and Hermione’s empty desk as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped, vanishing one of the legs on his desk. Professor McGonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand, and turned, frowning, to Seamus.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

Studying hard! It had never occurred to them that there would be exams with the castle in this state. There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl even more darkly.

"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible,” she said. “And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year.”

Holly sighed, she didn’t feel like studying without Hermione and she was pretty sure she won’t be able to study with Ron and Harry. Shannon and Christian were still trying to cheer Mad up. That was impossible. Harry, on the other hand, looked down at the pair of white rabbits he was supposed to be turning into slippers. What had he learned so far this year? He couldn't seem to think of anything that would be useful in an exam. Ron looked as though he'd just been told he had to go and live in the Forbidden Forest.

"Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" he asked Harry and Holly, holding up his wand, which had just started whistling loudly. Holly shrugged.

“Oh and Holly, please stop sneaking up to our dormitory so late at night,” Ron said. “If I die from heart attack, it’s all your fault.”

Holly rolled her eyes in reply. “Don’t be such a wuss, Ron. Though I know someone who would love talking to you so late at night,” Holly pursed her lips.

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

“The thing that’s petrifying people has been killed!” shouted Shannon, Mad looked up from playing her guitar.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Wood excitedly. Holly snorted slightly.

When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Holly looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. Ron and Mad, however, were looking happier than they’d looked in days.

“Isn’t that great, Mad! Becca is going to be okay!” said Shannon as she hugged Mad, who was still fiddling with her guitar. “Would you knock it off with the guitar?!”

Shannon tried to furiously pry Mad’s hands off the instrument.

"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then!" he said to Harry and Holly. "Hermione will probably have all the answers when they wake her up! Mind you, she'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over."

Just then, Ginny Weasley came over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous, and Holly noticed that her hands were twisting in her lap.

"What's up?" said Ron, helping himself to more porridge.

Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face that reminded Holly of someone, though she couldn't think who.

"Spit it out," said Ron, watching her. Harry furrowed his eyebrows, looking at Ginny.

Holly suddenly realized who Ginny looked like. She was rocking backward and forward slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby did when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.

"I've got to tell you something," Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at Harry or Holly.

"What is it?" said Harry.

Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words.

"What?” said Ron.

Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Harry leaned forward and spoke quietly, so that only Holly, Ginny, and Ron could hear him.

"Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"

Ginny drew a deep breath and, at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan.

"If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving; I've only just come off patrol duty."

Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away. Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the centre of the table.

"Percy!" said Ron angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"

Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked.

"What sort of thing?" he said, coughing. Holly narrowed her eyes, suspicious, Percy was usually so composed.

"I just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say –”

"Oh - that - that's nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets," said Percy at once. Holly’s doubts were clearing up further.

"How do you know?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.

"Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was - well, never mind - the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she'd keep her word. It's nothing, really, I’d just rather -"

Holly had honestly never seen Percy look so uncomfortable.

"What were you doing, Percy?" said Ron, grinning. "Go on; tell us, we won't laugh."  
Percy didn't smile back.

"Pass me those rolls, Harry, I'm starving."

Holly knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without their help, but she wasn't about to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle if it turned up - and to her delight it did, midmorning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart. However, she didn't understand why Harry and Ron had to come along when she could go alone, and that would be more inappropriate but apparently they didn’t want to be left out of anything.

Lockhart, who had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors, he really was stupid, thought Holly. His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.

"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor petrified people's mouths will be it was Hagrid.' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."

“I agree, sir," said Harry, making Ron drop his books in surprise. Ron looked at Holly for her lack of comment but saw her following them with the same expression.

"Thank you,” Harry said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night......”

"That's right," said Ron, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go -"

"You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class -"

And he hurried off. Holly shook her head at the idiot.

"Prepare his class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like." Holly snorted.

They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme

"Potters! Weasley! What are you doing?"


	58. Bk 2: Ch31

"Potters! Weasley! What are you doing?"

It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.

"We were -we were-" Ron stammered. "We were going to - to go and see -"

"Hermione," said Holly. Ron and Professor McGonagall both looked at her.

"We haven't seen her for ages, Professor," Holly went on hurriedly, treading on Ron's foot and almost pushing Harry back, "and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry -"

Professor McGonagall was still staring at her, and for a moment, Harry thought she was going to explode at what Holly said, but when Professor McGonagall spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice.

"Of course," she said, and Harry, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends and family of those who have been... I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."

Holly, Harry and Ron walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.

"That," said Ron fervently, "was the best story you've ever come up with." Holly smirked, but inside, she was dying to see Hermione again. It’s been so long!

They had no choice now but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione.

Madam Pomfrey let them in, but reluctantly. When they got they discovered Mad was there at her sister’s bedside doing her makeup. When she saw the trio come in she just gave them a glance before fixing her sisters foundation and blush, knowing that by how her sister fussed over her appearance that she would want to look perfect when she wakes up.

"There's just no point talking to a petrified person," she said, and they had to admit she had a point when they'd taken their seats next to Hermione. Holly felt even more pain as she sat down on Hermione’s right side. It was plain that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors, and that they might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.

"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one will ever know......

“Becca probably sega it.” stated Mad, startling the Gryffindors, she hadn’t said one word since she found out what happened to her sister. Holly knew what Mad said was probably true, due the panicked expression that Becca’s face was frozen in.

But Holly wasn't looking at Hermione's face. She was suddenly interested in her right hand. It lay clenched on top of her blankets, and bending closer, she saw that a piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist.

Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was nowhere near, she pointed this out to Ron and Harry.

"Try and get it out," Ron whispered. Harry shifted his chair so that he blocked Holly from Madam Pomfrey’s view. Mad setting down the brushes and makeup before going over to the three to see what was happening.

It was no easy task. Hermione's hand was clamped so tightly around the paper that Holly was sure she was going to end up tearing it. While Harry and Ron kept watch, Holly and Mad tugged and twisted, and at last, after several tense minutes, the paper came free.

It was a page torn from a very old library book. Holly smoothed it out eagerly and the other three leaned close to read it, too.

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._

And beneath this, a single word had been written, in a handwriting Holly and Mad recognized as Hermione's. _Pipes._

It was as though somebody had just flicked a light on in her brain.

"Harry, Ron," she breathed. "This is it. This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber's a basilisk - a giant serpent! That why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because Harry and I understand Parseltongue...."

Harry looked up at the beds around them.

"The basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died –”

“Because no one looked it straight in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. The basilisk burned up all the film inside it, but Colin just got Petrified. Justin... Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die again... and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione had just realized the monster was a basilisk. I bet you anything she warned the first person she met to look around corners with a mirror first! And that girl pulled out her mirror - and -"

“And Becca must have caught a glance of it through her occhiali–her glasses while she was running away! With our sensibilità to light the things are so tinted that any normale wizard wouldn’t be able to see.” explained Mad.

Ron’s jaw had dropped and Harry stared at her with widened eyes.

"And Mrs Norris?" he whispered eagerly.

Holly furrowed her eyebrows, thinking hard as she pictured the night of the Halloween.

"The water..." she said slowly. "The flood from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I bet you Mrs Norris only saw the reflection...."

She scanned the page in her hand eagerly. The more she looked at it, the more it made sense.

“…The crowing of the rooster... is fatale to it"! Mad read aloud. "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castello once the Chamber was opened! Spiders flee before it! It all fits!"

"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" said Ron. "A giant snake... Someone would've seen..."

Holly, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page.

"Pipes," she said. "Pipes... it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls...."

“That’s why it can move around so easily.” said Mad.

Ron suddenly grabbed Harry's arm. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely. "What if it's a bathroom? What if it's in-"

“Moaning Myrtle's bathroom!" said Harry. They sat there, excitement coursing through them, hardly able to believe it.

"This means," said Holly, "We can't be the only Parselmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too. That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."

"What're we going to do?" said Ron, whose eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"

“That’d be correggere thing to do.”

"Let's go to the staff room," said Harry, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break." Holly gave Hermione one last look and a smile before nodding. Mad gave her sister’s hand one last reassuring squeeze.

They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staff room. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs.

Mad, Holly, Harry and Ron paced around it, too excited to sit down. But the bell to signal break never came. Instead, echoing through the corridors came Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

_“All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staff room. Immediately, please."_

Holly wheeled around to stare at Mad, Ron, and Harry. "Not another attack? Not now?"

"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast. "Go back to the dormitory?"

“The professori are going to be here soon.” Mad warned.

"No," said Harry, glancing around. There was an ugly sort of wardrobe to his left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."

“I-I’m not really comodo with tight wooden spaces–” Mad nervously stammered but was cut off by Holly pushing her in.

They hid themselves inside it, listening to the rumbling of hundreds of people moving overhead, and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared. Then Professor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. `Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever. "'

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall. Holly’s eyes widened, her entire body going cold. _Ginny? Ginny Weasley? Why Ginny? What would the Heir of Slytherin want with her?_

She felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside them.

"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..."

The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, Holly was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming. Not that idiot.

"So sorry - dozed off - what have I missed?"

He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I - well, I -"sputtered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall -"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.

"I - I really never - you may have misunderstood -"

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble. Mad and Holly rolled their eyes.

"Very well," he said. "I'll - I'll be in my office, getting – getting ready."

And he left the room.


	59. Bk 2: Ch32

"Very well," he said. "I'll - I'll be in my office, getting – getting ready."

And he left the room.

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."

The teachers rose and left, one by one.

It was probably the worst day of Holly’s entire life. She, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George sat together in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, unable to say anything to each other. Percy wasn't there. He had gone to send an owl to Mr and Mrs Weasley, then shut himself up in his dormitory.

No afternoon ever lasted as long as that one, nor had Gryffindor Tower ever been so crowded, yet so quiet. Even Fred and George had lost their usual happy air and were now looking completely heartbroken as they sat a few feet away. Holly felt her heart burn with more pain.

"She knew something, Harry," said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't some stupid thing about Percy at all. She'd found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was -" Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. "I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."

Holly could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the skyline. This was the worst she had ever felt. If only there was something they could do. ANYTHING… She may not have a sister but she knew she’d lose her marbles if anything happened to Harry.

"Holly," said Ron. "D'you think there's any chance at all she's not - you know--"

Holly didn’t know why he was asking her and she didn't know what to say. She couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive. But they needed to do something and she was not going to lie around.

“We have to do something.” 

"What d'you mean?" said Ron. "Like we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there." Harry nodded, looking at Holly.

She didn’t think telling Lockhart would change anything; he was probably trying to run away as they spoke, but Holly couldn't think of anything else to do, and because she wanted to be doing something, she agreed. She turned to Fred and George, sitting in their chairs sullen looking and whispering something only they could here, the usual glee and mischief that kindled in their eyes was now a dull blue. Her heart hurt like a troll sat on it. 

“I’m bringing her back. I promise.”

The Gryffindors around them were so miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that nobody tried to stop them as they got up, crossed the room, and left through the portrait hole.

Darkness was falling as they walked down to Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on inside it. They could hear scraping, thumps, and hurried footsteps.

Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence from inside. Then the door opened the tiniest crack and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it. Holly narrowed her eyes.

"Oh - Mr Potter – Ms Potter – Mr Weasley -" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment -if you would be quick--"

"Professor, we've got some information for you," said Harry. "We think it'll help you."

"Er - well - it's not terribly -" The side of Lockhart's face that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean - well - all right--"

He opened the door and they entered.

His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Robes, jade-green, lilac, midnight blue, had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Are you going somewhere?" said Holly, knowing full well what he was doing, just as she expected.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping a life-size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and starting to roll it up. "Urgent call - unavoidable - got to go--"

"What about my sister?!" said Ron jerkily.

"Well, as to that - most unfortunate -" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets more than I--"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! You’re supposed to protect people!" snarled Holly, finally having enough of him. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!”

"Well - I must say - when I took the job -" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "Nothing in the job description - didn't expect--"

"You mean you're running away?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all that stuff you did in your books--"

"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.

"You wrote them!" Harry shouted.

"My dear boy," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at Harry. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on--"

"So you've just been a coward taking credit for what a load of other people have done?!" said Holly incredulously. This can be her chance to finally punch this guy out.

"Holly, Holly," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently, "It's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Harry. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame; you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them.

"Let's see," he said. "I think that's everything. Yes. Only one thing left."

He pulled out his wand and turned to them.

"Awfully sorry, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book--"

Holly reached her wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when Holly bellowed, "Expelliarmus!"

Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," said Holly furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking up at her, feeble once more. Holly was still pointing his wand at him. “I should’ve punched, don’t you think? I’ve ALWAYS wanted to punch you! He really deserves a good punch, doesn’t he!?”

“I think it’s great either way,” said Harry. He turned towards Lockhart, taking out his own wand.

"What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wand point. "We think we know where it is. And what's inside it. Let's go."

They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs, along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

They sent Lockhart in first. Holly was extremely pleased to see that he was shaking. 

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet.

"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Holly and others. "What do you want this time?"

"To ask you how you died," said Holly.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then -" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I died.”

"How?" said Harry.

"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away..." She looked dreamily at Harry. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said Holly.

"Somewhere there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.  
Holly, Harry and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.

It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then Holly saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as she tried to turn it.

"Holly," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."

"But -" Holly thought hard. The only times she'd ever managed to speak Parseltongue were when she'd been faced with a real snake. She stared hard at the tiny engraving, trying to imagine it was real as Harry on the other hand tried to speak the Snake-language himself.

"Open up," Holly tried.

She looked at Ron, who shook his head. If she spoke Parselmouth, Harry won’t know whether it’s English or what. Thank God Ron was there.

"English," he said.

Holly looked back at the snake, willing herself to believe it was alive. If she moved her head, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving.

"Open up," she said.

Except that the words weren't what she heard; a strange hissing had escaped her, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. Next second, the sink began to move; the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

Holly heard Ron gasp and looked up again. She had made up her mind what she was going to do.

"I'm going down there," she said.

She couldn't not go, not now they had found the entrance to the Chamber, not if there was even the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might be alive.

"Me too," said Ron.

“Same here,” Harry nodded furiously.

There was a pause.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just--"

He put his hand on the door knob, but before Holly, Ron, and Harry could point their wands at him he threw the door open only to be pushed back onto the floor.

“Ciao Professore Lockhart.”

“Mad? What are you doing here?” asked Holly.

“I was on my way to that idiota’s office to get him and bring him here when I see you tre already doing it. Don’t think for a minuto that you guys are going after the thing that tried to kill mia sorella without me. So whose going first?” said Mad as she pulled out her wand, the four kids turned to look at the only adult there.

"You can go first," Ron snarled.

White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.

"Children," he said, his voice feeble. "Children, what good will it do?"

Holly and Mad jabbed him in the back with their wands. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.

"I really don't think -" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight. Holly nodded at the other and followed quickly. She lowered herself slowly into the pipe, then let go.

It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and she knew that she was falling deeper below the school than even the dungeons. Behind her, she could hear Mad, Ron, and Harry, thudding slightly at the curves.

And then, just as she had begun to worry about what would happen when she hit the ground, the pipe leveled out, and she shot out of the end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and white as a ghost. Holly stood aside as Harry came whizzing out of the pipe, too, followed closely by Ron and then Mad.

"We must be miles under the school," said Holly, her voice echoing in the black tunnel.

"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls.

All five of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.

"Lumos!" Holly muttered to her wand and it lit again. She nodded at Harry, who nodded back and took out his wand again. "C'mon," he said to Mad, Ron, and Lockhart, and off the five went, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor.

The tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wand light.

"Remember," Harry said quietly as they walked cautiously forward, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away..."

But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. Holly lowered her wand to look at the floor and saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Trying very hard not to imagine what Ginny might look like if they found her, Holly led the way forward, around a dark bend in the tunnel. She remembered her promise to the twins and how they would bring Ginny back, though she had phrased it vaguely because she didn’t know if it would be alive.

"Harry – Holly – there's something up there -" said Ron hoarsely, grabbing Harry's shoulder.

They froze, watching. Holly could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.

"Maybe it's asleep," Harry breathed. Holly glanced back at the three. Lockhart’s hands were pressed over his eyes. Ron and Harry stared at her, while Mad gave her nod meaning it was safe. Holly turned back to look at the thing, her heart beating so fast it hurt.

Very slowly, her eyes as narrow as she could make them and still see, Holly edged forward, her wand held high.

The light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.

"Blimey," said Ron weakly.

“Che cavolo…” said Mad in shock.

There was a sudden movement behind them. Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.  
"Get up," said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart.

Lockhart got to his feet - then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground. Holly wheeled around at the sudden commotion.

Harry jumped forward, but too late - Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face.

"The adventure ends here!" he said. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body - say good-bye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "Obliviate!”

“Take cover!”

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Holly flung her arms over her head and ran, slipping over the coils of snake skin, pulling Harry along, out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. Next moment, they were standing alone, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.

"Ron! Mad!" Holly shouted. "Are you okay? Ron! Mad!"

"I'm here! Mad saved me from being crushed!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rock fall. 

"We’re buono - the bastardo's not, though - he got blasted by the wand--"

There was a dull thud and a loud "ow!" It sounded as though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins. 

“Give him a punch from me, please,” Holly said.

"What now?" Ron's voice said, sounding desperate. "We can't get through - it'll take ages..."

Holly looked up at the tunnel ceiling as Harry tried to look through the rocks. Huge cracks had appeared in it. She had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now didn't seem a good moment to try - What if the whole tunnel caved in? Then no one would make it out.

“Harry, Holly, if you can hear me, you have to go without us!” Mad screamed through the rubble.

“We can’t just leave you!” replied Harry.

“You’re wasting important time! Ginny has already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours!” said Ron. 

There was another thud and another "ow!" from behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Holly knew there was only one thing to do.

"Wait there," she called to Ron and Mad. "Wait with Lockhart. We'll go on... If we’re not back in an hour..."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can - can get back through. And, --"

"See you in a bit," said Harry, trying to inject some confidence into his shaking voice. He looked over at Holly, who nodded at him

And she set off alone past the giant snake skin. Harry followed.

Soon the distant noise of Ron straining to shift the rocks and Mad insisting she help him was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Holly body was tingling as she walked ahead of Harry. She wanted the tunnel to end, yet dreaded what they'd find when it did. And then, at last, as she crept around yet another bend, she saw a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

Holly approached it, her heart beating wildly in her throat. There was no need to pretend these stone snakes were real; their eyes looked strangely alive.

“Say it,” Harry breathed out. Holly cleared her throat, and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker to their direction.

"Open," said Holly, in a low, faint hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, followed Holly inside.


	60. Bk 2: Ch33

_ The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Harry, shaking from head to foot, followed Holly inside. _

They were now standing in at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber that Holly couldn’t see the end of. Not clear at all. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. His heart beating very fast, Harry stood listening to the chill silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny? 

Holly bit her lower lip. She pulled out her wand and moved forward first, between the serpentine columns. Every careful footstep echoed loudly off the shadowy walls. She kept her eyes narrowed, ready to clamp them shut at the smallest sign of movement. Harry followed her, more cautiously; the hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to be following him, or well, them. More than once, with a jolt of the stomach, he thought he saw one stir.

“Have your wand ready,” Holly breathed out. Harry nodded and pulled out his wand. “And Harry,”

“Yes?”

“I love you.” She had to say it; if they were about to…She needed to let her brother know.

“I know. I love you, too.” Harry said back, taking Holly’s hand, understanding what his sister was implying.

Then, as they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. Holly eyes widened.

They had to crane their necks to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkey-ish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown laid a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.

"Ginny!" Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees. "Ginny - don't be dead - please don't be dead -" He flung his wand aside, grabbed Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was white as marble, and as cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't Petrified. But then she must be... Holly looked over the giant face once more and hurried over.

"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.

"She won't wake," said a soft voice.

Holly wheeled around and was deeply shocked.  

A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Holly were looking at her through a misted window. But there was no mistaking him.

"Tom - Tom Riddle?"

Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Holly 's face.

"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said suddenly, desperately. "She's not - she's not -?"

"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."

Holly, on the other hand, stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, yet here he stood, a weird, misty light shining about him, not a day older than sixteen.

"Are you a ghost?" She said uncertainly.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary Holly and Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. For a second, Holly wondered how it had got there - but there were more pressing matters to deal with.

"You've got to help us, Tom," Holly said, watching Harry raise Ginny’s head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment... Please, help us."

Riddle didn't move. Neither did Holly. Harry, sweating, managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent to pick up his wand again.

But his wand had gone.

"Did you see -?"

He looked up. Riddle was still watching Holly - twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers."Thanks," said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.

A smile curled the corners of Riddle's mouth. He continued to stare at Holly, twirling the wand idly.

"Listen," said Harry urgently, his knees sagging with Ginny's dead weight. "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes--"

"It won't come until it is called," said Riddle calmly. He looked down Harry’s wand and said “Expelliarmus!” It was so unexpected. Holly’s wand flew to Riddle. “Much better,”  

Holly’s eyes narrowed. Harry lowered Ginny back onto the floor, unable to hold her up any longer.

"What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give us our wands, we might need them--"

Riddle's smile broadened.

"You won't be needing them," he said.

The Potter twins stared at him.

"What d'you mean, we won't be -?"

"I've waited a long time for this, Holly and Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look," said Harry, losing patience, "I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later--"

"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, still smiling broadly, and he pocketed Harry's wand, still holding out Holly’s.

Holly stared at him. There was something very funny going on here...

"How did Ginny get like this?" she asked slowly.

"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" said Harry.

"The diary," said Riddle. “My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second-hand robes and books, how -" Riddle's eyes glinted "- how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her..."

All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Holly’s face. There was an almost hungry look in them, which was seriously creeping her out.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," he went on. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply loved me. No one's ever understood me like you, Tom... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket ..."

Riddle laughed a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Harry's neck. Holly curled her hand into a fist.

"If I say it myself, Holly, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her..."

"What d'you mean?" said Harry, whose mouth had gone very dry.

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" said Riddle softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."

"No," Holly whispered, eyes glaring at Tom.

"Yes," said Riddle, calmly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries... far more interesting, they became... Dear Tom," he recited, watching Harry's horrified face, “`I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, l can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me... There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"

Holly's fists were now clenched, the nails digging deep into her palms.

"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," said Riddle. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where you came in, Holly. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it were you, the very person I was most anxious to meet..."

"And why did you want to meet me?" said Holly. Anger was coursing through her, her voice venomous and steady. This is too much, why would Riddle want to meet  _her_?

"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you and your brother, Holly," said Riddle. "Your whole fascinating history." His eyes roved over Holly’s eyes, probably knowing about the lightning scar she had on there, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, and meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust--"

"Hagrid's our friend," said Holly, her voice now shaking in anger. "And you framed him, didn't you?! I thought you made a mistake, but--"

Riddle laughed his high laugh again. Harry moved over to Holly.

"It was my word against Hagrid's, Holly. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student... on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls... but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance... as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!

"Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed... Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did ..."

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said Harry, his teeth gritted.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it," said Holly triumphantly. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again--"

"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been - you."

Holly stared at him.

"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you, Harry Potter, with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat waited until your dormitory was deserted and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery - particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue...So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became very boring. But there isn't much life left in her... She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last... I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Holly Potter."

"Like what?" Holly spat, fists still clenched.  _Again, what does he wants from her?_

"Well," said Riddle, smiling pleasantly, "how is it that you - a skinny girl and your  _brother_  with no extraordinary magical talent - managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar each, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.

"Why do you care how we escaped?" said Holly slowly but angrily as she felt Harry grab her arm, who was standing right beside her, just as shocked and angry. "Voldemort was after your time..."

"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Holly Potter..."  
  
He used Holly’s wand and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

_ TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE _

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

_ I AM LORD VOLDEMORT _

"You see?" he whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins run the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Holly - I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Holly brain seemed to have jammed. She stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder her and her brother's own parents and so many others... At last she forced herself to speak.

"You're not," she said, her quiet voice full of hatred. Harry gave her a warning look.

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," said Holly, breathing fast. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days--"

The smile had gone from Riddle's face, to be replaced by a very ugly look.

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere memory of me!" he hissed.

"He's not as gone as you might think!" Holly retorted, making a face at Riddle. She was speaking at random, wanting to scare Riddle, wishing rather than believing it to be true.

Riddle opened his mouth, but froze.

Music was coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber. The music was growing louder. It was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly; it lifted the hair on Holly’s scalp and made her heart feel as though it was swelling to twice its normal size. It seemed to do the same to Harry, because his grip on her arm loosened. Then, as the music reached such a pitch that Holly felt it vibrating inside her own ribs, flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.

A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared, piping its weird music to the vaulted ceiling. It had a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's and gleaming golden talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle.

A second later, the bird was flying straight at Holly and Harry. It dropped the ragged thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on her shoulder. As it folded its great wings, Holly looked up and saw it had a long, sharp golden beak and a beady black eye.

The bird stopped singing. It sat still and warm next to Holly’s cheek, gazing steadily at Riddle.

"That's a phoenix." said Riddle, staring shrewdly back at it.

"Fawkes?" Holly breathed, and she felt the bird's golden claws squeeze her shoulder gently. Harry looked at the phoenix in awe, he hadn’t seen it, only heard about it from Holly from when she went to Dumbledore’s office.

"And that -" said Riddle, now eyeing the ragged thing that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat--"

So it was. Patched, frayed, and dirty, the hat lay motionless at Holly’s feet.

Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark chamber rang with it, as though ten Riddles were laughing at once.

"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Holly Potter? Do you feel safe now?"

Holly didn't answer. She furrowed her eyebrows, she might not see what use Fawkes or the Sorting Hat was, but they were no longer alone, and she waited for Riddle to stop laughing with her courage mounting. She nodded at Harry to trust her.

"To business, Potters," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice - in your past, in my future - we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. How did you survive? Tell me everything. The longer you talk," he added softly, "the longer you stay alive."

Holly was thinking fast, weighing her chances. Riddle had the wands. She and Harry had Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, neither of which would be much good in a duel. It looked bad, all right... but the longer Riddle stood there, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny... and in the meantime, Holly noticed suddenly, Riddle's outline was becoming clearer, more solid... If it had to be a fight between her and Riddle, better sooner than later.

"No one knows why you lost your powers when you attacked us," said Holly abruptly. "We don’t know ourselves. But I know why you couldn't kill us. Because our mother died to save us. Our common Muggle-born mother," she added, shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you killing us. And we've seen the real you, we saw you last year. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're weak–”

Riddle's face contorted. Then a sadistic grin twisted upon his features looking like a predator playing with its prey. "So. Your mother died to save you. Yes, that's a powerful countercharm. I can see now... there is nothing special about you, after all. I wondered, you see. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Even you must have noticed. All three of us half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only three Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself. Your brother and I even look something alike... but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."

Holly stood, tense, waiting for Riddle to raise her wand. But Riddle's twisted smile was widening again.

"Now, Potters, I'm going to teach you both a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Holly and Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give them..."

He cast an amused eye over Fawkes and the Sorting Hat, and then walked away. Harry, fear spreading up his numb legs, watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin, high above him in the half-darkness. Holly’s bright green eyes had narrowed. Riddle opened his mouth wide and hissed - but both Holly and Harry understood what he was saying...

"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."

Holly wheeled around to look up at the statue along with Harry, Fawkes swaying on her shoulder.

Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. Horror-struck, Holly saw his mouth opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.  _What in the…_

And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

Holly backed away until she hit the dark Chamber wall, pulling Harry along with her, and as she shut her eyes tight she felt Fawkes’ wing sweep her cheek as he took flight. Holly wanted to shout, "Don't leave me!" but what chance did a phoenix have against the king of serpents?

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Holly felt it shudder - she knew what was happening, she could sense it, could almost see the giant serpent uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth as Harry clutched onto her forearm. Then she heard Riddle's hissing voice:

_ "Kill them." _


	61. Bk 2: Ch34

_"Kill them."_

The basilisk was moving toward Holly and Harry; she could hear its heavy body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut, Harry began to run blindly sideways, one of his hands outstretched, feeling his way and using other to pull Holly along - Voldemort was laughing.

Harry tripped. He fell hard onto the stone and tasted blood the serpent was barely feet from him, he could hear it coming. Holly, who had held onto Harry’s hand, fell onto her knees, shocked at the sudden contact.

There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above her, and then something heavy hit Holly so hard that she was smashed into the wall. Waiting for fangs to sink through her body she heard more mad hissing, something thrashing wildly off the pillars. What is happening?

She couldn't help it - she opened her eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.

The enormous serpent, bright, poisonous green, thick as an oak trunk, had raised itself high in the air and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. As Holly trembled, ready to close her eyes if it turned, she saw what had distracted the snake.

Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers.

Fawkes dived. His long golden beak sank out of sight and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the floor. The snake's tail thrashed, narrowly missing Harry (his eyes were still closed), who Holly pulled back and before Holly could shut her eyes, it turned - Holly looked straight into its face and saw that its eyes, both its great, bulbous yellow eyes, had been punctured by the phoenix; blood was streaming to the floor, and the snake was spitting in agony. Wha….

"NO!" Holly heard Riddle screaming. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL AND THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. YOU CAN STILL SMELL THEM. KILL THEM!"

The blinded serpent swayed, confused, still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose as the blood poured from its ruined eyes.

“Harry, Harry, you can open your eyes now,” Holly muttered and she looked at the water she saw just how horrible she looked; her hair were wild and out of her original ponytail, and were now in an extremely dark red color.

The snake's tail whipped across the floor again. Harry ducked and Holly, who hadn’t ducked, felt something soft hit her face.

The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into Holly’s arms. She seized it. It was all she had left, her only chance - she rammed it onto her head and threw herself flat onto the floor next to Harry as the basilisk's tail swung over them again.

“Help us – help us –” Holly thought, her eyes screwed tight under the hat. “Please help us.”

There was no answering voice. Instead, the hat contracted, as though an invisible hand was squeezing it very tightly.

Something very hard and heavy thudded onto the top of Holly’s head, almost knocking her out. Stars winking in front of her eyes, she grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something long and hard beneath it. What –

A gleaming silver sword had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.

"KILL THE GIRL! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE GIRL AND THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU. SNIFF - SMELL THEM."

Harry was on his feet, ready with the sword Holly found. The basilisk's head was falling, its body coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face him and his sister. Holly could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow them whole, lined with fangs long as the sword, thin, glittering, venomous—

It lunged blindly - Harry dodged and it hit the Chamber wall. Holly rolled away from the area at, on time, a second late and she would’ve probably died. It lunged again, and its forked tongue lashed Harry's side. He raised the sword in both his hands—

The basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true – But Holly didn’t know what happened next, it was so sudden, one second Harry was right in front of her and the next, he was thrown back, clutching his shoulder as he tried to dodge the huge serpent.

“HARRY?!”

Holly’s eyes widened and without wasting a minute, she wildly looked around for the sword. The glinting sword was lying in water nearby, and her blood went cold. She needs to do something before the snake attacked Harry. Holly, slipping and falling, crawled towards the sword and fumbling, grabbed it.

She turned around towards the serpent in blind rage. The kind of serpent seemed to have sensed her behind him, because it turned rapidly and lunged at her. Holly threw her whole weight behind the sword and with all her might, drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth-

But as warm blood drenched Holly’s arms, she felt a searing pain just above her elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into her arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching, to the floor. Holly felt herself go numb as she heard a faint shout.

Holly slid down the wall. She gripped the fang that was spreading poison through her body and wrenched it out of her arm. But she knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as she dropped the fang and watched her own blood soaking her robes, her vision went foggy. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull color. Her head felt heavier and heavier as each pulse of throbbing pain pounded her senses over and over again. She needed relief no matter what form it came in.

A patch of scarlet swam past, and Holly heard a soft clatter of claws beside her.

"Fawkes," said Holly thickly. "You were amazing, Fawkes..."

She felt the bird laid its beautiful head on the spot where the serpent's fang had pierced her. It was too exhausting and the pain was taking its toll on her. She was tired, but unable to sleep and unable to stop it. With each passing moment the pain only seemed to get worse and worse.

She could hear echoing footsteps and then a dark shadow moved in front of her.

"You're dead, Holly Potter, you and your weakling of a brother," said Riddle's voice above her. "Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter? He's crying."

She squeezed her eyes tight and their face turned to a grimace. Swallowing the pain and ignoring it the best she could, not wanting to give the bastard the satisfaction of watching her die.

Holly blinked. Fawke's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers.

"I'm going to sit here and watch you die, Holly Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."

Holly felt drowsy and her eyelids drooped. Everything around her seemed to be spinning and there was a horrible pain in her head.

"So ends the famous Holly and Harry Potter," said Riddle's distant voice. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by their friends, defeated at last by the Dark Lord they so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Holly... She bought you both twelve years of borrowed time... but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must..."

Holly didn’t want to die, she still had so many things she wanted to do. She wanted to sing more songs, play more Quidditch, and spend more time with her friends and brother….but Harry was dying too. She would never get to celebrate his 16th birthday or attend his wedding. She wouldn’t be able to do any of the things she had promised him. Promised?...That’s right she had promised that she’d bring Ginny back.

She felt her head pound and ache as she began to lose feeling in her body. If this is dying, thought Holly as she looked back at Harry, it's not so bad. Even the pain was leaving her...She felt like she was ready to sleep…Surely a good rest would get rid of the pain…All she had to do was go to sleep…

Was this dying? Instead of going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Holly gave her head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on her arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound - except that there was no wound.

"Get away, bird," said Riddle's voice suddenly. "Get away from her - I said, get away--"

Holly raised her head. Riddle was pointing Holly's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang like a gun, and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet. Holly hoped it went to Harry, oh Harry, is he okay?

"Phoenix tears...” said Riddle quietly, staring at Holly’s arm. “Of course... healing powers... I forgot..."

He looked into Holly's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Holly Potter... you and me..."

He raised the wand...

“I have already taken care of your brother. Once you’re gone I shall be able rise again. And this time there will be no one to stop me. Not even your precious Dumbledore. How does it feel? That everything and everyone you care about will be destroyed and there is nothing you can do to stop it. That I will kill your friends just like I killed your worthless parents, but I won’t go easy on them.” said Tom as laughter echoed through the room. “Which do you think I should start with that filthy muggleborn best friend of yours? Or those monstrous mutts that dared to disgrace the House of Slytherin? Or traitors to their own blood, the Weasleys?”

Then, in a rush of wings, Fawkes had soared back overhead and something fell into Holly’s lap - the diary.

For a split second, both Holly and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, just wanting the item that started this gone, Holly seized the basilisk fang on the floor next to her and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.

“SHUT UP?! SHUT UP?! SHUT UP?! SHUT UP?! SHUT UP?! SHUT UP?!” repeated Holly in adrenaline powered hysterics as she kept stabbing and stabbing the book. Not even aware that there was a long, dreadful, piercing scream or the ink that spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over her hands, flooding the floor. When she finally stopped stabbing, she stared in front of her, completely in shock at what she was seeing. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then—

He had gone. Holly's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and there was silence. Silence except for the steady drip-drip of ink still oozing from the diary. The basilisk venom had burned a sizzling holes right through it.

Shaking all over, Holly pulled herself up. Her head was spinning as though she'd just travelled miles by Floo powder. Slowly, she gathered together her wand and the Sorting Hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the basilisk's mouth. She hurried over to Harry, just as Fawkes flew away. Where was he going?  Harry,on the other hand, was white and cold as ice, hardly able to hold himself as Holly helped him around, though she was just glad that he was still alive.

Then came a faint moan from the end of the Chamber. Ginny was stirring. As Holly and Harry, with his sister’s help, hurried towards her, she sat up. Her bemused eyes travelled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, over Harry and Holly, in their blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in Holly’s hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.

"Harry – Holly oh, Harry - I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy - it was me, Holly - but I - I s-swear I d-didn't mean to - R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over - and - how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary--"

"It's all right," said Holly, still mildly delirious as she held up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here--"

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Holly helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and - w-what'll Mum and Dad say?"

Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Harry urged Ginny forward; they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk, Holly wanting to inspect to make sure it was definitely dead but Harry gave her a look, through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Holly heard the stone doors close behind them with a soft hiss. She looked behind for moment and let out a deep breath.

After a few minutes’ progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Holly’s ears.

"Ron! Mad!" Holly yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! We've got her!"

She heard them give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see Ron’s eager face staring at the three of them through the sizable gap he and Mad had managed to make in the rock fall.

"Ginny!" Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How - what - where did that bird come from?"

Fawkes had swooped through the gap after Ginny.

"He's Dumbledore's," said Holly, squeezing through herself after she pushed Harry through.

"How come you've got a sword?" said Ron, gaping at the glittering weapon in Holly’s hand.

“That’s not importante Ron! The importante thing to ask is if they are okay?!” said Mad, as she grimaced at their blood soaked clothes. “Are you okay?”

"I'll explain when we get out of here and we’re fi-," said Holly with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever. “We’re alive, that’s all that matters.”

"But--"

"Later," Harry said shortly, looking at Holly, who nodded. Neither of them thought it was a good idea to tell Ron and Mad yet who'd been opening the Chamber, not in front of Ginny, anyway.

"Where's Lockhart?"

"Back there," said Ron, still looking puzzled but jerking his head up the tunnel toward the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."

Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

“Marked improvement if you ask me.” said Mad.

Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all.

"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Mad, Harry, and Holly.

Holly bent down and looked up the long, dark pipe.

"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" she said to Ron.

“I could go get assistenza in my bat form?” Mad suggested.

Holly was thinking about it, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of her, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Holly looked uncertainly at him.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold..." said Ron, looking perplexed.  "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there--"

"Fawkes," said Holly, "isn't an ordinary bird." She turned quickly to the others. "We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart--"

"She means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.

"You hold Ginny's other hand--"

Holly tucked the sword and the Sorting Hat into her robes belt, Harry took hold of the back of her robes, and Holly reached out and took hold of Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.

“Mad?” Holly held out her hand to her friend.

“No grazie. I got this.” said Mad as transformed into her bat form.

An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through her whole body and the next second, in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Holly could hear flapping of Mad’s bat wings and Lockhart dangling below her, saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" This made her want to punch him, even if she didn’t have the strength to. The chill air was whipping through Holly’s hair, and before she'd stopped enjoying the ride, it was over - all five of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Mad landing gracefully back in her human form, and as Lockhart straightened his hat, the sink that hid the pipe was sliding back into place.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," she said blankly to Holly.

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.

"Oh, well... I'd just been thinking... if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.

“Um, thanks for the offer, Myrtle, but I’ll have to decline.” said Holly, who found it awkward as she wiped the slime on her hands on her pants.

"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside. "Holly! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! Ain’t that right, Ginny!"

But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face.

"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny. Harry pointed.

Fawkes was leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.

Harry knocked and pushed the door open.


	62. Bk 2: Ch35

For a moment there was silence as Holly, Harry, Mad, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry and Holly 's cases) blood. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter. Their only daughter.

As others looked at them, Holly looked past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. No wonder, it must have been a huge shock, if this wasn’t that serious, Holly would’ve laughed. Fawkes went whooshing past Holly’s ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Holly found herself, Mad, Harry and Ron being swept into Mrs Weasley's tight embrace.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.

Mrs Weasley let go of Holly, who hesitated for a moment as she looked at Harry, then walked over to the desk and laid upon it the Sorting Hat, the ruby-encrusted sword, and what remained of Riddle's diary.

Then she started telling them everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour she spoke into the rapt silence: She told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realized that Holly was hearing a basilisk in the pipes; how she, her brother, and Ron had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how they had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in Myrtle’s bathroom...

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted him as Holly paused, "So you found out where the entrance was-breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add - but how on earth did you all get out of there alive, Potter?"

So Holly, her voice now growing hoarse from all this talking, told them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving her the sword and what happened to Harry. But then she faltered. She had so far avoided mentioning Riddle's diary - or Ginny, who was standing with her head against Mrs Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. What if they expelled Ginny? Holly thought in panic. Riddle's diary didn't work anymore... How could they prove it had been he who'd made her do it all?

Instinctively, Holly looked at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.

"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief - warm, sweeping, glorious relief - swept over Holly. "W-what's that?" said Mr Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not...Ginny hasn't been... has she?"

"It was this diary," said Holly quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen..."

Dumbledore took the diary from Holly and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its stabbed, burnt, and soggy pages.

"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned around to the Weasleys and Mad, who were looking utterly bewildered.

"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school... travelled far and wide... sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But, Ginny," said Mrs Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with - with - him?"

"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year--"

"Ginny!" said Mr Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic!

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it--"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "Miss Baker, would you be so kind as to help Miss Weasley to the Infirmary? You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice - I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment.”

"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly. Holly felt a sudden relief wash over her.

“What about Becca?” asked Mad.

"There has been no lasting harm done," said Dumbledore. “Now off you go, Miss Weasley, Miss Baker,”

Mad wasted no time and carried a blushing and bumbling Ginny out in her arms, Mrs Weasley and Mr Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken. Holly’s eyes followed them as they walked out. She turned to look at the Professors.

"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potters and Mr Weasley, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

She left, and Holly, Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely - surely - they weren't about to be punished?

"I seem to remember telling you three that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules,” said Dumbledore.

Ron opened his mouth in horror.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You will three receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think three hundred points apiece for Gryffindor with Miss Baker getting the same for Slytherin."

Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again. Holly cheered in sudden excitement.

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

Holly gave a start. She had completely forgotten about Lockhart. She turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart--"

"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver moustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"

"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That girl has, though." He pointed at Holly. "She’ll lend you one."

“Can’t we keep him like this?” asked Holly. “He’s so much more tolerable now.”

"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron before turning to Harry, who was still white and looked oddly sick. “And I believe Mr Potter needs to go to the infirmary as well,”

Holly went to take Harry to the infirmary but was stopped; "I'd like a few more words with Holly."

Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Holly as Harry closed the door after him.

Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.

"Sit down, Holly," he said, and Holly sat, feeling unaccountably nervous. Is something wrong?

"First of all, Holly, I want to thank you," said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Holly grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched her. This seriously is awkward.

"And so you met Tom Riddle," said Dumbledore thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you..."

Suddenly, something that was nagging at Holly tumbled out of her mouth.

"Professor Dumbledore... Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said. And how he and I were all that matters…” She looked at the Professor, curiously.

"Did he, now?" said Dumbledore, looking thoughtfully at Holly from under his thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Holly?"

"I'm not like him!" said Holly, more loudly and furiously than she'd intended. "I mean, I'm - I'm in Gryffindor, I'm...”

But she fell silent, doubt still lurking in the back of her mind.

"Professor," she started again after taking a shaky breath. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd - I'd have done well in Slytherin. Don’t get me wrong I don’t have the whole Slytherin prejudice. I don’t think they’re all evil. Mad, Shannon, and Christian are my friends and some of the nicest people I know. B-b-but everyone thought I was Slytherin's heir for a while…because I can speak Parseltongue…And I don’t know if that means that I’m going to beco–"

"Please stop with that kind of thinking. You can speak Parseltongue, Holly, you and your brother," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort - who is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin - can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure..."

"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me and Harry?" Holly said, thunderstruck and a bit disgusted.

"It certainly seems so."

"So I should be in Slytherin," Holly said, looking frantically into Dumbledore's face, searching for an answer. "The Sorting Hat could see Slytherin's power in me, and it--"

"Put you in Gryffindor," said Dumbledore calmly. "Listen to me, Holly. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue - resourcefulness - determination - a certain disregard for rules," he added, his moustache quivering again. "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."

"It only put me in Gryffindor," said Holly in a defeated voice, "because I desired not to go in Slytherin..."

“Exactly, "said Dumbledore, beaming once more. “Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Holly, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. It’s not the house, but the person." Holly sat motionless in her chair, stunned. She tried to go through everything in her mind. "If you want proof, Holly, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."

Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood-stained silver sword, and handed it to Holly. Dully, Holly turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then she saw the name engraved just below the hilt.

_Godric Gryffindor_

"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Holly," said Dumbledore simply. “There is something else that I’ve been meaning to tell you,”

Holly looked at Dumbledore, curious.

“You must be wondering why Riddle, Voldemort was much more interested in you than Harry,” Holly turned her face slightly in wonder. “I cannot tell you everything as you are far too young right now, but I believe you will have to look after yourself more so than Mr Potter, especially after the events of today,” Holly wanted to ask him what he meant but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know either.

For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.

"What you need, Holly, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban–We need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added thoughtfully. "We'll be needing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

Holly slowly got up and crossed to the door. She had just reached for the handle, however, when the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.

Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.


	63. Bk 2: Ch36

"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.

Mr Malfoy almost knocked Holly over, who was pretty much glaring at him, as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face. Holly’s eyebrows furrowed. Dobby?

The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr Malfoys shoes. Apparently Mr Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.

"So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too... Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Mr Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury. Ha!

"So - have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.

"Well?" said Mr Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."

He held up the small black book with the large hole through the centre, watching Mr Malfoy closely. Holly, however, had long turned her attention towards Dobby worried about the bandaged house elf.

The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Holly; he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist. The diary was Malfoy’s….?

"I see..." said Mr Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.

"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Holly here -" Mr Malfoy shot the girl a swift, sharp look "and her friends Madigan and Ron, and Harry, hadn't discovered this book, why -- Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will..."

Mr Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly masklike. Holly pursed her lips. Honestly, this man annoyed her to no end, so despicable.

"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then... The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and - killing Muggleborns... Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise..."

Mr Malfoy forced himself to speak.

"Very fortunate," he said stiffly.

And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.

And Holly suddenly understood everything. She quickly nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment. Poor Dobby…

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr Malfoy?" said Holly, trying to sound nonchalant as she glared at the man, not caring how rude it was.

Lucius Malfoy rounded on her.

"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.

"Because you gave it to her," said Holly, her eyes blazing red in anger. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

She saw Mr Malfoy's white hands clench and unclench.

"Prove it," he hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Holly. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you..."

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Holly distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!"

He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Holly stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to her—

"Professor Dumbledore," she said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr Malfoy, please?"

"Certainly, Holly," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember...”

Holly didn’t really bother listening everything; she just quickly grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. She could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, hoping this plan could possibly work, Holly took off one of her shoes, pulled off her slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it. Then she ran down the dark corridor, worried.

She caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr Malfoy," she gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you--"

And she forced the smelly sock diary into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the -?"

Mr Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, and then looked furiously from the ruined book to Holly. "You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents’ one of these days, Holly Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too." Holly didn’t care. 

He turned to go.

"Come, Dobby. I said, come."

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Holly’s disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure. Yes!

"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."

"What's that?" spat Mr Malfoy. "What did you say?"

"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby - Dobby is free."

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf then he lunged at Holly, whose eyes widened and stumbled backwards, trying not to fall.

"You've lost me my servant, girl!"

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Holly Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Mr Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. Holly wondered if she should laugh or not.

"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr Malfoy. "You shall not touch Holly Potter. You shall go now."

Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight. Ha! Holly cracked a smirk-smile.

"Holly Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at the red-headed girl, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb-like eyes. "Holly Potter set Dobby free!"

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Holly, who couldn’t help but grin. "Just promise never to try and save my life or my brother’s again."

The elf's ugly brown face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile.

"I've just got one question, Dobby," said Holly as Dobby pulled on her sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well--"

"It was a clue, madam," said Dobby, his eyes widening, as though this was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before he changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," said Holly weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now...” Her hand clutched and unclutched subconsciously. “Would you like to meet my friends, Dobby?"

Dobby threw his arms around Holly middle and hugged her.

"Holly Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Holly Potter!"  
And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

Holly had certainly been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never had she been to one quite like this. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Holly wasn’t sure that whether the best bit was when Hermione can rushing over towards her, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" or when Justin was hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to wring her hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting her, Shannon, Christian, Abby, and Cassie tackling her into a gigantic group hug, Mad hugging Becca in relief with Becca awkwardly hugging back or Hagrid turning up at half past three, cuffing Holly, Harry, Mad and Ron so hard on the shoulders that they were knocked into their plates of trifle, or her, Harry’s and Ron's six hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, or Professor McGonagall standing up to tell them all that the exams had been cancelled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione), or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.

"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He has starting to grow on me." Holly couldn’t stop grinning a second. The most she had done so far, her cheeks hurt but it was an amazing feeling. Hermione was back, Gryffindor won the cup, no exams, no longer the ‘heir of Slytherin’, and not to mention the fact Lockhart was never coming back as a Professor.

“It’s time to celebrate! Let’s get this party started!” yelled Shannon as they raised there drinks in cheer.

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences - Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were cancelled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione), Mad and Beccahad stopped trying to kill each other and begun to actually get along fairly well (“Not completamente, but it’s a start.” Mad explained, smiling at her sister.), Abby, Becca, and Cassie had joined their band (“With all the concerts we’ve been doing we’ve got fans coming out of our pants!” cheered Shannon “With a lot trying to get into them too!”), and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor (“Rumor has it that a certain someone’s half-vampire father is next in line for the position~” Shannon hinted). Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Holly, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. Mad, Shannon, and Christian left saying something about a ‘special’ poker game going on in another cart. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap with Holly losing a bet and had to sit George’s lap (but not before punching him hard for being a pervert), set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Holly was getting very good at it, and she was glad too, who knows what next year would bring?

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny - what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well - Percy's got a girlfriend." Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head, his chin hitting Holly’s.

“Ow!”

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was - you know - attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.

Holly grinned, shaking her head. “And that is why you two don’t have girlfriends.”

“Not like you have a boyfriend.” said the twins in unison, earning each a punch in the shoulder.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped.

Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione. Holly waited for Harry. She hadn’t ever bothered remembering the telephone number.

"This is called a telephone number," Harry told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer - he'll know. Call us at the Dursleys', okay? I don’t think the either of us (motioning to Holly and himself) can stand being around Dudley for long..."

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you two did this year?"

"Proud?" said Holly, snorting. "Are you crazy? All those times we could've died, and we didn't manage it? They'll be furious..."

And together they walked back through the gateway to the Muggle world.


	64. Bk 3: Ch1

Holly sighed, leaning back on her bed, squashed in a small bedroom along with her brother’s, a tiny desk that was loaded with books, books that you wouldn’t really take serious. But to Holly and Harry Potter, they were everything. As far as she knew, Holly and her brother were probably the only kids that hated the summer holidays more than anything. Not to mention the fact that must be the only kids who really wanted to do their homework, being the only thing that kept them sane. However, it had to be done in secret, in the dead of the night.  

It was nearly midnight, but Holly was awake. Harry had gone to bed a few hours earlier, not wanting to strain himself (as Aunt Petunia had made him clean the whole house head to toe just because Dudley was afraid of him). She hadn’t been getting even less sleep than usual, since they got back from Hogwarts Holly had been suffering from nightmares.

The worst being the dream were she wakes up covered in blood with her friends and brother lying next to her dead. Tom Riddle’s, also known as Lord Voldemort, voice that she heard earlier that year in the Chamber of Secrets.

_"I have already taken care of your brother. Once you're gone I shall be able rise again. And this time there will be no one to stop me. Not even your precious Dumbledore. How does it feel? That everything and everyone you care about will be destroyed and there is nothing you can do to stop it.”_

Her blood ran cold as she remembered the nightmare, the scar across her left eye pulsing as she rubbed her arm half expecting to find a basilisk fang plunged into her person. She had woken up in a cold sweat earlier in the night and had decided to stay up, lying on her stomach in bed as she had a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. She had made a tent over her with her sheets so it wouldn’t wake Harry up or well, alarm the Dursleys. She moved the tip of her eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as she looked for something that would help her write her essay, 'Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless -- discuss.'

The quill paused at the top of a likely looking paragraph. Holly pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows; her head hurt a lot for some reason and moved her flashlight closer to the book, reading:  

_Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame-Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises._

Well then, thought Holly as she stuck her quill between her teeth and reached out for her inkbottle and a roll of parchment. Then, slowly and very carefully, she unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped her beautiful quill into it, and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen carefully, because if any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of her quill on their way to the bathroom, she'd probably find herself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer. And she definitely did NOT have time for that.

The Dursleys had forbidden them from even mentioning the books, and this separation had been a real problem for them. Especially because they had gotten a lot of holiday homework. Not to mention, they had gotten a lot of it from Snape too, and that was one real problem. Because Snape would never miss a chance to give both of the Potters some sort of detention, for months on end! So Holly and Harry had therefore taken an advantage of their, probably, only chance in the first week of holidays. And that was when Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), Holly had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs (something Fred and George had taught her), grabbed some of their books, and hidden them in their bedroom. Not that they had tea parties in their room but oh well. All they needed to make sure was not to spill ink anywhere, especially the sheets.

They were particularly keen to avoid trouble with their aunt and uncle at the moment, as the latter were already in an especially bad mood with them, all because they’d received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school vacation.

Obviously, it was Ron Weasley, one of their best friends at Hogwarts. Came from a whole family of wizards. He knew a lot of things that neither of the Potters knew, but had never used a telephone before. No wonder, because unluckily, his first call was received by Uncle Vernon.

"Vernon Dursley speaking."

Holly, who happened to be in the room at the time, cleaning the table, froze as she heard Ron's voice answer.

"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I – WANT – TO – TALK – TO – HARRY – AND – HOLLY – POTTER!"

Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm. Holly’s eyes widened and she almost dropped the plate she had in her hand.

"WHO IS THIS?" He roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?"

"RON – WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M – A – FRIEND – OF – HARRY – HOLLY’S – FROM – SCHOOL –"

Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Holly, who was rooted to the spot, one hand holding a plate and the other a cleaning cloth. She didn’t even notice Harry coming around in the room, holding a broom himself. She would face palm if there wasn’t the high possibility that she’s get in trouble.

"THERE IS NO HARRY OR HOLLY POTTER HERE!" He roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"

And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.

The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever.

"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE – PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying Harry and Holly with spit.

Ron obviously realized that he'd gotten Holly and Harry into (A LOT OF) trouble, because he hadn't called again. But their other best friend, Hermione hadn’t really been in touch either. Holly was pretty sure that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was kind a pity, because Hermione was the way cleverer (Cleverest witch in their year!) and had Muggle parents, so she knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and probably wouldn’t have mentioned Hogwarts. Christian and Shannon knew how to use a telephone due to Shannon’s father being a squib and she had most likely taught Mad, though they never contacted the twins a lot saying how they were very busy during the summer.

So, Holly and Harry had to go through five long weeks without any word from any of their wizarding friends, and this summer seemed to have gotten just as bad as the last one. There was just one very small improvement – after swearing that they wouldn't use them to send letters to any of their friends, Holly and her twin brother had been allowed to let their owls, Heidi and Hedwig, out at night. Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket the owls made if they were locked in their cages all the time. Holly had sighed in relief because Heidi had started giving her threatening looks, no matter how funny that sounds.

Holly finally finished writing about Wendelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of her enormous cousin, Dudley. It must be very late, Holly thought, licking her dried out lips. Her eyes were itching with tiredness. Perhaps she'd finish this essay tomorrow night...

She placed her ink bottle back and pulled out an old pillowcase from under her bed; put the flashlight, A History of Magic, her essay, quill, and ink inside it; got out of bed; grabbed all the books from the desk and hid the lot under a loose floorboard under her bed. Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on her bedside table with drooping eyes.

It was one o'clock in the morning. Holly's stomach gave a funny jolt as her eyes widened in realization. She and Harry had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. And for some reason, she felt extremely sad.

It was just another unusual thing about the Potter twins, how they always looked forward to their birthdays. They had never received a single birthday card in their lives so far because the Dursleys never bothered doing anything about their birthday.

Holly sighed yet again and wondered if she should wake Harry up as she walked across the dark room, past the large, empty owl cages, to the open window. She leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on her sleepy face after a long time under the blankets. Heidi and Hedwig had been absent for two nights now but the Potters wasn't worried about them: they'd been gone this long before. But she hoped they'd be back soon -- they were probably the only living creatures in the house that both didn't flinch at the sight of them.

Holly, had lost some body weight due to the limited food she and her brother received, had a few inches more over the last year. Her red hair had gotten longer, almost down to her waist, and she had managed to get more control over her Metamorphmagus abilities. She still had her bright green eyes, and across her left eye, mostly hidden, a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning that resembled the one on her brother’s forehead. Harry, himself, had managed to grow a few more inches but still had his untidy black hair and bright green eyes like her sister’s, inherited from their mother, behind his glasses.

Remembering the scar and the person behind it, Holly had to admit they were lucky even to have reached their thirteenth birthday. Remembering the events of the last two years.

Holly, quietly, scanned the starry sky for a sign of Heidi or Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to them with a dead mouse dangling from their beaks, expecting praise. Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Holly realized what she was exactly seeing.

Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, were two large, strangely lopsided creatures, and they were flapping in Holly's direction. For a few moments, Holly stood still, curious, watching the creatures sink lower and lower. For a split second she hesitated, her hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut. But then the bizarre creatures soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Holly, realizing what they were, leapt aside, astonished.

Through the window soared four owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on Holly's empty bed, and the middle owl, which was large and grey, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs.

Holly recognized the unconscious owl at once – his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. Holly dashed to the bed, untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcel, and then carried Errol to one of the cages, petting him for a job well done, and  pushing Harry awake as she went. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.

Harry, who had woken up groggily, was lost for a moment and watched Holly turn back to the remaining three owls. She hurried over to her and Harry’s owls, Heidi and Hedwig, and as she was done with removing the burden off them, she received an affectionate nip from the two owls she had grown close to and then the owls flew across the room to join Errol.

As Holly looked over at the last owl, a handsome tawny one, she didn’t really seem to recognize it. Because in addition to the packages, it was carrying two letters bearing the Hogwarts crest. When Holly relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night. Holly turned and looked over at Harry, who was looking pretty gobsmacked and confused at what was happening in the middle of the night.

Holly rubbed her eyes and grabbed the packages and set them onto his bed, sitting on the edge of the twin bed herself. Together ripped off the brown paper from Errol’s package and discovered two presents wrapped in gold paper and their first birthday card. Holly grabbed the envelope and opened it, and out fell two pieces of paper – a letter and a newspaper clipping.

The clipping had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black-and-white picture were moving. Holly picked up the clipping, smoothed it out in front of her so Harry could see it too, and read:

 _MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE_ _Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw._ _A delighted Mr Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."_ _The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend._

Holly scanned the moving photograph, and a small smile spread across her pale face as she saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at her and Harry, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs Weasley; tall, balding Mr Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny. Holly rolled her eyes at the funny faces Fred and George were making, thinking how childish they were even though they were older than them.

Holly and Harry couldn’t think of anyone else who would’ve deserved to win a large pile of gold other than the Weasleys. Harry picked up Ron’s letter and unfolded it, reading it out to Holly in light whispers, not to alarm the Dursleys.

 _Dear Harry and Holly,_ _Happy birthday!_ _Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted._ _It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff._ _I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of its gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year._

Holly remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. He must be really excited to get a new one. Hopefully that one won’t make him belch slugs or accidently set her robes on fire.

 _We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you two there?_ _Don't let the Muggles get you down!_ _Try and come to London,_ _Ron_ _P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week._

Holly glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. She could just imagine how Ron, George and Fred must be feeling like. Most probably annoying the heck out of him.

As his twin sister looked over the newspaper clipping again, Harry turned to present that had ‘Harry’ written on it and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

 _Harry – this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says its rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup._ _Bye – Ron_

Holly looked at the note that Ron had sent with the Pocket Sneakoscope and smirked before picking up the small present and quietly opened it up. Inside was a little music box mechanism. She grinned and noticed yet another note from Ron.

 _Holly – I heard from Hermione (AND FRED & GEORGE, how do they know? You been talking to them behind our backs?) That you really liked this one muggle song and because I couldn’t decide on anything else, I got you this. Hope you like it._ _Bye – Ron_

Holly shook her head at the note but she couldn’t help smiling as she looked at the mechanism, turning the crank and heard the calming melody of her favorite song, ‘You are My Sunshine’. It was one of the best gifts she had ever received. She carefully placed it back in the box and closed it before picking up the parcels that their own owls had brought.

Inside them, too, each had a wrapped present, a card and Holly’s parcel had a letter, this time from Hermione. Holly grabbed the letter and read it out:

 _Dear Holly and Harry,_ _Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you two are all right._ _I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you -- what if they'd opened it at customs? -- but then Heidi and Hedwig turned up! I think they wanted to make sure you two got something for your birthday for a change. I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world), did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous -- the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating._

_There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out, I hope it's not too long – it is two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for._

_Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you two come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!_

_Love from_ _Hermione_

_P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it._

Holly laughed slightly as she placed Hermione’s letter aside in order to get pick up her present. It was very heavy. Her heart gave a huge bound as she carefully ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading Broomstick Servicing Kit.

"Wow, Hermione!" Holly whispered, eyes widened as she unzipped the case to look inside. There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare.

While Harry was still opening Hermione’s letter, Holly placed the leather case aside and picked up another parcel. It was a bright pink and smelled of bubblegum and potion vapors, the twins knew it must have been from their friends Shannon and Christian. Holly read the girly calligraphy of the letter that was attached:

_Yo Hollister and Harpsichord,_

_First let me say that you’re both lucky I don’t freeze your asses and dissect you for not reminding us of your birthday! Anyhoodles~ we’ve been busy as hell since left for break. First I had to help my dad round up some magical relics and items!  It was awesome! There was this damn dodgeball that almost fucking killed us by bludgeoning! I also got a new pet! Anyway we’re in London right now at one of my mom’s fashion shows. Normally I love being surrounded by hot ladies and pretty dresses, but I’m bored out of my fucking mind! I miss having to risk our lives on a daily basis with dangerous magic! Though it won’t last long, we’re going to have our family reunion soon with all those wizards and magical creatures crammed together things are going to insane! Running with my Minotaur uncles, playing underwater tennis and wake the dead with my cousins, and makeovers with my nymph aunts. Bet my little cousins are going to drive me bat shit insane with their questions about you guys.    -Shannon and Christian_

She ripped off the paper to find a bunch of beauty products, things like Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion, Persephone’s Organic Pimple Protection Face Scrub, Blabbing Gavin’s Lip Balm, Super Hold Hair Ties and more. The twins arched their eyebrows, wondering why they got them this. Holly looked at the note again.

_PS You guys got take care yourselves, especially since you’re going to go through puberty soon. All that outdoor Quidditch practice will be murder on your skin. Don’t want those pretty dissectible faces ruined <3_

_PPS Mad pitched in too, so this gift is from her too. ~~(She said I’d have to mention her.)~~_

She shrugged at their friend’s morbid fascination with dissection, already used to it. She picked up the last gift and recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: it was from Hagrid. She tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before she could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly -- as though it had jaws. Harry looked up at her.

Holly froze. She knew that Hagrid would never send her or Harry anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin. Definitely not normal, even by wizarding standards.

Holly looked at Harry and poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand, and raised it over his head, ready to strike. Holly seized the rest of the wrapping paper in her hands and pulled.

And out fell --  _a book_. Holly just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title The Monster Book of Monsters, before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.

“What the…” Holly muttered.

"Uh-oh," Harry muttered.

The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Holly followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under the desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Holly got down on her hands and knees and reached toward it.

"Ouch!"

The book snapped shut on her hand and then flapped past her, still scuttling on its covers. Holly scrambled around, almost bumping into Harry, threw herself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door. Holly let out a deep sigh.

Heidi, Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as Holly clamped the struggling book tightly in her arms, hurried to her chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which she buckled tightly around it, with Harry’s help. The Monster Book shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Holly threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card. Harry looked at the package from Hagrid for him and decided not to open it. Holly read the letter:

 _Dear Holly and Harry,_ _Happy Birthday!_ _Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you two._ _Hope the Muggles are treating you right._ _All the best,_ _Hagrid_

It struck Holly as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful, but she put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever at Harry. Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left. The Potter twins both grabbed onto their respective letters.

Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Holly carefully slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read:

 _Dear Ms Potter,_ _Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock._ _Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign._ _A list of books for next year is enclosed._ _Yours sincerely,_ _Professor M. McGonagall_ _Deputy Headmistress_

Holly pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends; she knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and she and Harry had never set foot there. But how on earth was he going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form?

Holly looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.

Deciding that she'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when she woke up, Holly said good night to Harry and got back into bed. Harry, on the other hand, reached up to cross off another day on the chart he and his sister had made for themselves, counting down the days left until their return to Hogwarts. Holly let out a deep breath and looked over at the cards she and Harry had received and smiled slightly.

Extremely unusual though they were, at that moment both Holly and Harry Potter felt just like everyone else -- glad, for the first time in their lives, that it was their birthday.


	65. Bk 3: Ch2

The next morning, Holly followed her twin brother down to breakfast, where the Dursleys were already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room. Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually. Holly found it absolutely disgusting.

She sat down across Harry, who sat between Dudley and Uncle Vernon. Far from wishing Harry or Holly a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys made any sign that they had noticed them enter the room, but the Potter twins were far too used to this to care. Holly shrugged and helped herself to a piece of toast as she looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict. Still groggy, she squinted her eyes at the television.

"...the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us he's no good," Uncle Vernon snorted, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Holly was pretty sure Uncle Vernon glared at her mess of a hair (as she didn't really felt like brushing her hair and had just twisted them in a messy bun). She looked over at Harry with raised eyebrows, honestly, compared to the man on the television, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry looked very well groomed. And from the looks of it, Harry seemed to feel like that as well.

The reporter had reappeared.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today --"

"Hang on!" Uncle Vernon barked , staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Holly rolled her eyes; she knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number, obviously. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors. Holly was pretty sure that the ‘lunatic’ would rather die than come to Privet Drive once he hears of the Dursleys.

"When will they learn," Uncle Vernon said, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," Aunt Petunia said, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans. Holly shook her head and went back to her food, lost in thought.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

Holly, whose thoughts had gone upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump, almost chocking on her toast. She looked at Harry.

"Aunt Marge?" Harry blurted out, looking over at his uncle. "Sh-she's not coming here, is she?"

Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of the Potters, they had been forced to call her 'Aunt' all their life. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Holly and Harry’s minds.

At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Margo had whacked Holly around the shins with her walking stick to stop the redheaded girl from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry and Holly (which she made them eat). On her last visit, the year before Harry started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes.

"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at the Potters, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry and Holly being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment. Holly rolled her eyes, careful not to be seen by her uncle.

"Firstly," Uncle Vernon growled. "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"All right," Harry bitterly said. "If she does when she's talking to me."

"Secondly," Uncle Vernon said, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "As Marge doesn't know anything about your abnormality, I don't want any -- any funny stuff while she's here. You two behave yourself, got me?"

"We will if she does," Holly said through gritted teeth.

"And thirdly," Uncle Vernon said, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Children."

"What?" Harry and Holly yelled.

"And you'll be sticking to that story, or there'll be trouble," Uncle Vernon spat.

Holly sat there, white-faced and furious, her hair going frizzy and eyes flashing red as she stared at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. She wanted to flip her plate over, wanting it to hit Dudley, who was smugly looking at the Potters. Aunt Marge coming for a weeklong visit -- it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given them.

"Well, Petunia," Uncle Vernon said, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"No," Dudley said, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry and Holly.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," Aunt Petunia said, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie,"

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder. What the…??  Holly made a face at her aunt’s statement.  Dudley? Smart? Those words just don’t go together.

"See you in a bit, then," He said, and he left the kitchen. Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door. Holly furrowed her eyebrows and hurried after him, taking her toast with her. Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.

"I'm not taking you," He snarled as he turned to see Harry and Holly watching him, well the latter was watching her brother but oh well.

"Like I wanted to come," Harry said coldly. "I want to ask you something," Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog -- at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," Harry said. Holly realized what Harry was going to say.

"So?" Uncle Vernon snapped, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.

"I need you to sign the permission forms," Harry said in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" Uncle Vernon sneered .

"Well," Harry said , choosing his words carefully, "It'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. What's-its...."

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Children!" Uncle Vernon bellowed , and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice. Holly couldn’t help but smirk as she watched the conversation between her brother and their uncle, maybe he learned something from Mad and Shannon.

"Exactly," Harry said, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if we accidentally let something slip?"

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?" Uncle Vernon roared, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. But Harry stood his ground.

"Knocking the stuffing out of Harry won't make Aunt Marge forget what we could tell her," Holly called out from behind Harry. Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.

"But if you sign our permission forms," Harry went on quickly, "I swear we’ll remember where we’re supposed to go to school, and we’ll act like a Mug -- like we’re normal and everything," Holly could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple. She thought it was really funny.

"Right," He snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I’ll sign your ruddy forms," He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out. Harry turned to Holly, who shook her head at him, laughing slightly.

After this little conversation, neither of the Potters returned to the kitchen (Holly would rather not watch her pig of a cousin eat in front of the TV). Instead, Holly followed Harry upstairs to their little, squashed bedroom. She saw Harry gather up all of his presents and understood what he was doing, so she followed his example and started cleaning the room rid of all magic-related things.

So, not really feeling like doing it, Holly gathered up her own presents and the cards and helped Harry hid everything under the loose floorboard with their homework and everything. Harry, then, went to Hedwig and Heidi’s cages. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Heidi sat awake, looking at the twins curiously. Harry sighed, and then poked the other two awake.

"Hedwig," He said gloomily. "You're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I’ll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" -- Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful -- "it's not my fault. It's the only way Holly and I will be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione,"

“Heidi, you stick with Hedwig and watch out for planes.” said Holly, who sniffled at the thought of sending away her cuddly mocha colored ball of energy.

Ten minutes later, Errol, Heidi and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. While Harry watched them fly away, Holly could understand just how her brother was feeling, she grabbed the empty cages and hid them away in the wardrobe.

So much for a good birthday.

But they didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry and Holly to come down and get ready to welcome their guest. Holly didn’t want to go downstairs, no, no, never.

"Do something about your hair!" Holly heard Aunt Petunia snap as Harry went down the hall. She let out a huge sigh and thought about going downstairs. She went out of the door and came back in, that happened for a few minutes before she just shook her head and went down. She received the same comment from Aunt Petunia. Holly sighed, it’s not like that would stop Aunt Marge from criticizing them.

All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path. Holly’s heart sunk.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Holly. A feeling of great gloom in her stomach, Holly went and pulled the door open. Oh no…

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a moustache, though not as bushy as his. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog. Holly gave the dog a glare when she was sure no was looking. She saw Harry walk over.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy poo?" Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Holly’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her as Harry instinctively grabbed it before it fell, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

Holly knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist. The fat greedy little-

"Petunia!" Aunt Marge shouted , striding past Harry as though he was a hat-stand, he bumped into Holly, who tried to keep him, and herself up. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather; Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia’s bony cheekbone.

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" He said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," Aunt Marge said  as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry and Holly alone in the hall with the suitcase. But honestly, the Potters weren’t complaining about that; because if anything, this was a perfect excuse to get away from Aunt Marge and that was perfectly fine by them. Harry and Holly began to take the suitcase into the spare bedroom.

“Go as slow as you can, I don’t want to go down to Aunt Marge,” Holly mumbled.

By the time they got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Holly saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals. Well, Holly adored animals except the ones that were trained by Aunt Marge either.

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," Aunt Marge boomed . "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Ripper began to growl again as Harry and Holly (who wanted to scare the dog by flashing her hair but decided not to, that would cost them their Hogsmeade trips) sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to the Potters for the first time.

"So!" She barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Yes," Harry and Holly said in unison.

"Don't you say "yes" in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep."

Holly, annoyed, was about to burst saying they would rather go to some orphanage than live with the Dursleys but the thought of Hogsmeade stopped her, yet again.  She forced her face to form a painful smile, clutching her arm behind her back in anger.

"Don't you smirk at me!" Aunt Marge boomed . "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache, and said, "Where is it that you send them, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," Uncle Vernon said promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"I see," Aunt Marge said . "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.

"Er --"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," Harry said . Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "All the time."

"Excellent," Aunt Marge said. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have you been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," Harry said. "loads of times."

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," She said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry or Holly might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"


	66. Bk 3: Ch3

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Holly caught herself thinking almost longingly of life without the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry and Holly to stay out of their way, which the twins were only too happy to do. Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted them under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for their ‘improvement’, as if it was actually good advice.

She delighted in comparing Holly and Harry with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at the Potters, as though daring them to ask why they hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry and Holly such unsatisfactory people.

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way they’ve turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the inside, there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Holly, who was already feeling pretty annoyed, tried to concentrate on her food, but her hands shook and her face was starting to burn with anger. She had ever harder time controlling her Metamorphmagus abilities, she was internally grateful that she spent time on working through that.  She saw Harry give her an alarmed look.

 _Remember the forms,_ she mentally told herself. _Think about Hogsmeade. Think about Harry and how much he realy wants to go. Don't say anything. Don’t lose your temper. Don't rise –_

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup --"

At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping, Holly’s eyes red and wide as she kept her head down and concentrated on her knees.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip...."

But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry and Holly suspiciously, so Holly decided to skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as she could.  And she did.

Outside in the hall, Holly leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since she'd lost control and made something explode. She couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade forms weren't the only thing at stake -- if she carried on like that, she'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic. She heard the door swing open and close, and Harry came up to her and gently rubbed her back.

Holly heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way, closely followed by Harry.

Holly spent the next three days by forcing herself to think about her new Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare or new song lyrics or homework whenever Aunt Marge started on her or Harry. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give her a glazed look as tuned out, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that she was mentally subnormal. Holly tried to calm herself down every time and just look away. She didn't care what she thought of her. She knew her worth. But when Aunt Marge commented on Harry, Holly had to do everything in her power to stop from hexing the horrendous woman.

At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Holly or Harry’s faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them a with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.

"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that...and a bit more...that's the ticket."

Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Holly really, really wanted to board Harry and her up in their bedroom, but she met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew she would have to sit it out. She looked at Harry and pouted. Harry shrugged; knowing she certainly wasn’t the only person who wanted to leave.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down.

"Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon..."

"Now, these ones here --"

She jerked her head at Harry and Holly, who clenched her pants.

 _The Handbook,_ she thought quickly. _The permission slip._

"These ones have got a mean, runty look about them. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

While Harry was trying to remember about the permission slips, Holly tried to control her Metamorphmagus abilities.

 _It’ll only make it worse,_ she thought. _Don’t let her get to you._

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" -- she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here are the results right in front of us."

Holly’s fist painfully clenched as she stared at her plate, a funny ringing in her ears. She hated it immensely when someone talked bad about her parents or Harry. She tried to block out what was being said, grasp your broom firmly by the tail, she thought. But she couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into her like one of Uncle Vernon's drills.

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents. Holly took in a deep breathe.

"He -- didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed."

"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who --"

"He was not," said Holly suddenly. The table went very quiet. She didn’t think it was possible but she actually shaking in anger. She had never felt so angry in her life. And she could feel everyone’s eyes on her; Harry looked at her alarmingly, grabbing her arm.

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, girl," he snarled at Holly. "Go to bed, go on --"

"No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Holly’s. "Go on, girl, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) --"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Holly, who found herself on her feet, pushing away Harry’s hand. Her hair had gotten noticeably darker, but apparently Aunt Marge was either too dumb or too drunk to notice.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you and your brother to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little --"

But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking.

For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger -- but the swelling didn't stop. Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech -- next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls -- she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami...

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

Holly, who was herself, very angry, tore from the dining room before anyone could stop her; she grabbed a shocked Harry’s arm again and pulled him along, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as they reached it. In seconds, Holly had heaved his trunk to the front door before going on to grab Harry’s. The redheaded girl sprinted upstairs, threw herself by her bed and wrenched up the loose floorboard and grabbed the pillowcases full of her and Harry’s books and birthday presents. She pulled it out and hurried towards the wardrobe, from where she pulled out the cages and dashed back downstairs. She stuffed the pillowcases into the cage. She saw Harry waiting for her, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

But a reckless rage had come over Holly again. She kicked her trunk open, pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon. A mad and angered look in her eyes.

"She deserved it," Holly said, breathing very fast, her hair had gone completely black and eyes burned the color of hellfire. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from us. Got it! I’m not afraid to use this! I will use it if I have to!"

Harry fumbled behind her for the latch on the door.

"We’re going," Holly said, speaking for Harry as well. "We've had enough."

And in the next moment, she was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving her heavy trunk behind her, Heidi’s cage under her arm as Harry followed her. She could feel her anger dissolve into despair and she sniffed slightly. It was too much, but she didn’t care about anything. She didn’t care what happened to Aunt Marge nor did she care about whether the Dursleys would let her and Harry back to their home anytime soon and she didn’t care about her black hair. She had enough of all of them. She just didn’t care anymore.


	67. Bk 3: Ch4

The Potters were a several streets away from the Dursleys’ house when Harry collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from dragging his trunk along. When Holly heard him do so, she stopped as well, she felt very tired but also that she could walk a mile or two more, because of the anger and adrenaline that was still surging through her. Her hair had slowly gone back to red, she wondered if she should do something about that.

They stood there for about ten minutes during which Holly’s anger completely faded away, now replaced by panic. Whichever way she looked at it, she had never been in a worse fix. They were now stranded, in this dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go, or how to go. And to make it worse, she had just done some serious magic, which meant that she was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. She looked over at Harry who was already staring at her, looking at her for an answer. She had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly; she was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on her where she stood.

Holly sighed and dropped down and sat on the floor, her lips pursed. She didn’t know where to go or what to do, no matter where she looked, there was nothing that could help her or Harry. It was pretty simple, but she wondered what would happen to her. Would she be arrested or something? Or would she simply outlawed from the wizarding world? Would they take away her wand? Her heart sank. Ron and Hermione couldn’t help her and nor could Harry. Even if they agreed to, the former two were both abroad and Heidi and Hedwig were gone, so there were no mean of contact.

She felt Harry sit down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in an effort to comfort his sister (“It’s okay, Holly”). Holly didn’t move, instead, she let out another sigh. They didn’t have any Muggle money, either. What are they going to do? They may have a little wizard gold currently with them but the rest of the fortune was in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London left by their parents. And looking at their chances, they wouldn’t be able to drag their trunks all the way down to London… Unless…  

She looked down at her wand she still had clutched in her hand. So, if she’s already expelled, a bit of more magic couldn’t hurt her. They still had the Invisibility Cloaks -- what if she bewitched the trunks to make them feather-light, tied them to her broomstick, covered herself and Harry in the cloaks, and flew to London? It was a horrible idea, but she couldn't sit on this footpath forever, or she and Harry would have to explain to the Muggle police why they were out in the dead of night with two trunks full of spell books and a broomstick.

Holly pulled her trunk over and opened it, pushing aside the contents, looking for her Invisibility Cloak – but before she found it; she shivered and straightened up suddenly, alarming Harry as well,  opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak -- but before Holly pulled her trunk over and opened it, pushing aside the contents, looking for her Invisibility Cloak – but before she found it; she shivered and straightened up suddenly,  looking around her once more.

“What’s wrong, Holly?” Harry said, nervously. Holly knew that he sensed it too.

A funny prickling on the back of her neck had made Holly feel she was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.

She bent over her trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, her hand clenched on her wand. Harry shoot up as well, his own wand out, Holly pushed behind her. She could feel it rather than hear it: someone (or something) was certainly standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind them. She squinted at the black alleyway, her arm stretched out in front of Harry and the other hand, with her wand, ready. If only it would move, then she'd know whether it was just a stray cat or -- something else.

"Lumos," Holly muttered, and a light appeared at the end of her wand, almost dazzling her as it lit up her and Harry’s faces. She held it high over her head, other arm still in front of Harry, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Holly saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.

Holly stepped backward, pushing Harry back too, who seemed to have seen it too. Her legs hit her trunk and she tripped. Her wand flew out of her hand as she flung out an arm to break her fall, and she landed, hard before Harry could even understand what was happening. He quickly went to pull her up but – 

There was a deafening BANG, and Holly threw up her hands to shield her eyes against a sudden blinding light...

With a yell, she rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Holly had just been lying. Harry was so horrified that he quickly pulled Holly to himself. Her heart was pounding in her ears at the realization that she almost got run over. They belonged, as Holly saw when she raised her head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled  _The Knight Bus_.

For a split second, Holly wondered if she had been knocked silly by her fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. Harry scrambled in front of Holly.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve--"

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Holly, who was still sitting on the ground, and Harry, who was looking at him suspiciously, still in front of Holly. Holly realized what was happening and snatched up her wand again and scrambled to her feet, followed closely by Harry. Close up, she saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than her and Harry, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.

"Napping," spat Holly, not in the mood for dumb questions.

"'Choo nappin’ there?" sniggered Stan.

"Wh-No-I didn’t-That’s not-I fell." said Holly, ticked off. One of the knees in her jeans was torn, and the hand she had thrown out to break her fall was bleeding. Then suddenly, she remembered why she had fallen over and turned around quickly to look at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty. 

_ What? What was there? _  Holly thought, curiosity eating her.

"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap as well, when Holly didn’t speak. "Like a dog...but massive..."

Holly looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Holly saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. Holly doing the same with her bangs.

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Neville and Nancy Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first names that came into his head. “So -- so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater."

"Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes!" said Holly quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

Holly rummaged once more in her trunk, extracted her money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand for both her and Harry. Then Harry and Stan lifted the trunks up on the steps of the bus while Holly brought in the cages. Harry had told her not to get the trunks due to the injuries.

When Holly stepped inside, it was pretty true to say that she was surprised. There were no seats in there, instead, there were bedsteads standing beside the curtained windows. Obviously, Holly had never seen anything like this. She stepped aside to let Harry in front of her. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.

"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. Holly saw her trunk getting shoved under another bed but she was too busy looking around. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville and Nancy Longbottom, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Holly and Harry, both of them nervously flattened their bangs again. Harry sat down on his bed. Holly simply flopped down on her bed, burying her face in it.

"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Holly, her eyes widened, found herself flat on the floor of the bus, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. She quickly pulled herself up (hoping no one saw that) and looked out of the dark window; they were bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry and Holly's stunned faces with great enjoyment.

"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"

"Ar," said Ernie.

"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry. Holly listened in, wondering the same thing.

"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

Stan passed Harry’s bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Holly had turned back to look out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed. It was amazing and weird.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

Holly looked around at the beds, she was pretty sure that she wouldn’t have been able to sleep even if they were on a normal, Muggle bus because she was too busy wondering what was going to happen to her, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling by now.

Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Holly from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.  _Hold on…._

"That man!" Harry said. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?"

He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry and Holly’s faces, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville."

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight, Holly leaned over and read it over his shoulder:

_ BLACK STILL AT LARGE _

_ Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. _

_ "We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm." _

_ Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. _

_ "Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritated Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it -- who'd believe him if he did?" _

_ While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. _

Holly, unsure, looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Holly thought of the pictures of vampires that were shown to them in her DADA classes (that Mad was always criticizing about not being accurate), and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. More than the appearance, Holly wondered just how he managed to  _murder thirteen people with a single curse_.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching the Potter twins read.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Holly as Harry handed the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry and Holly.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.

Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.

"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I -- I forgot --"

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast..."

"So -- so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" said Holly, trying distract from Harry’s blurt out. Harry gave the Ern and Stan an apologetic look.

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say...anyway, when little 'Arry and ‘Olly Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" -- Harry and Holly nervously flattened their bangs down again –

"all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.”

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"What?" said Holly and Harry together.

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you...after what he did..."

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again.

"Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Holly leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. She couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.

"'Ear about that 'Olly Potter? Blew up 'er aunt! We 'ad 'er 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? She was tryin' to run for it, ‘ven brought her ‘rother ‘long..."

She, Holly, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land her in Azkaban? Holly didn’t really know much about Azkaban or any other wizard prison, though everyone she had ever heard speaking of it did so in the same fearful way. Even Hagrid had spent two months there only last year. Holly wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people she knew.


	68. Bk 3: Ch5

The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Holly played with Harry’s hair as his head rested on her lap, he had fallen into a deep sleep while she stayed up, restless and miserable, her other hand playing with the golden snitch necklace she got from Fred and George in her first year. She was too tired and worried to sleep peacefully, her mind to filled with suspicions. She was trying to distract herself by playing with Harry’s hair but it wasn’t working. Her thoughts were racing from one thing to another. Then, not-so-suddenly, one by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go.

Finally, Holly and her brother were the only passengers left.

"Right then, Nancy," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"

"Diagon Alley," said Holly, shaking Harry awake.

"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."

BANG.

They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Holly sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. She decided that they would lie low for a couple of hours, then maybe go to Gringotts the moment it opened, or send Harry for that, then set off – where, she didn’t know (Australia or America sounded about right). Harry could go to Hogwarts because he did nothing but Holly…she wasn’t sure.

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Holly and Harry said to Ern.

Holly jumped down the steps and helped Stan and Harry lower the trunks and the cages onto the pavement.

"Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!"

But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

"There you are, Harry and Holly," said a voice.

“We were getting worried about you two.” said another voice.

Before Holly could even turn, she felt someone put a hand on her shoulder. And at the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"

Holly slowly looked up at the owner of the hand on her shoulder and felt extremely awkward, as if a bucket of ice had dropped into her stomach – they had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself and……Graham Baker? What was there friend’s dad doing there?

Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.

"What didja call Neville and Nancy, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted. Mr Baker, a striking tall chap sporting his usual suit, cloak, and dark spectacles with a calm demeanor, snickered. The lighthearted air around him, made him look like the weather didn’t even faze the golden eyed half vampire gentleman.

"Neville? Nancy?" Mr Baker said, smiling naively, not looking like he understood what was happening. "This is Harry and Holly Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville and Nancy are, Ern! 'E's 'Arry and ‘Olly Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry and Holly up, but we need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..."

Mr Baker just kept his blithe smile as Fudge increased the pressure on Holly’s shoulder, and she found herself and Harry being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got them, Minister and Mister Baker!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Holly or Harry.

“I’ll take a warm mug of type AB with a straw, Tommy Boy. It was freezing out there.” said Mr Baker brightly. “And that’s coming from someone whose heart beats twenty times a minute.”

There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry and Holly's trunks and their owls’ cages and looking around excitedly.

"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville? Nancy?" said Stan, beaming at Holly and Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.

"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.

"'Bye," Harry and Holly, the latter quietly, said to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.

"'Bye, Neville and Nancy!" called Stan.

Mr Baker and Fudge marched Holly and Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down, Harry and Holly," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

Holly sat down, feeling uncomfortable goose bumps rising up her arms, despite the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite her and Harry. Mr Baker doing the same with his cloak and glasses.

"I am Cornelius Fudge. The Minister of Magic."

Well, Holly already knew that, of course, they had seen him once before, but considering they were hiding in the Invisibility Cloaks, Fudge didn’t know that. 

“And I am Graham Baker-Nocturn. The King and Ambassador of the Vampire Race as well as the new Chairman of the Hogwarts Board of Governors.”

The shocked expressions on the twins faces made him chuckle. Holly could hardly believe it, she thought she heard wrong, but it all started to make sense to her. Mad always behaved in a way that made it seem like she had a strict, rich, and rigorous upbringing, from having to memorize multiple books about wizarding history to mastering multiple musical instruments to combat and dueling techniques. Holly remembered the fight she overheard last year with her sister. Madigan was the heir meaning she and her sister are princesses…and Mad is the future queen.

“You – King – Mad – Queen – How – Why – What!?” Holly blurted out, forgetting her worries for a second and overloading from the sudden news. 

“Yes, it is really hard to believe at first, but it is completely true. Please feel free to still call me Mr Baker. That’s the name I was born with afterall~” he said with a smile.

Just as Holly was about fire off her questions Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea, a mug of blood, and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Mr Baker, Fudge, and the Potters and left the parlor, closing the door behind him. The events from before hitting Holly like a bludger to the gut.

"Well, Holly and Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think...but you're safe, and that's what matters."

“Yeah, you should have seen it~ You two had almost the entire Ministry of Magic turned topsy-turvy in a frenzy~ I must say that is quite an impressive thing to do~” added Mr Baker as he sipped his drink, his head resting casually on his hands as he put his elbows on the table. He didn’t seem to detect that his statement made both the twins feel worse.

Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward them.

"Eat; you look dead on your feet. Now then...You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that and no harm done."

“Yep, yep. No harm, no foul.”

Fudge smiled at Holly and Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite niece or nephew. Holly didn’t really like that. She couldn’t believe her ears; she opened her mouth to say something but couldn’t think of what and closed it again. She looked over at Harry.

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Holly, but they are prepared to take you two back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

"We always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," she said, "and we don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

Mr Baker raised his brow at the statement, though his serene smile still intact.

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other -- er -- very deep down."

Holly didn’t even bother correcting Fudge, what’s the point? He wouldn’t understand anyway. However, she wondered what was going to happen to her now.

"So all that remains,” said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and..."

"Hang on," blurted Holly. "What about my punishment?"

Mr Baker grinned and Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"

"I broke the law!" Holly said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh, my dear girl, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently, Mr Baker putting a hand over his mouth to quiet his snickering. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"

“Not even for blowing up their uncles!” Mr Baker joked.

But this didn't tally at all with Holly’s past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. She narrowed her eyes, not looking at Harry, who wanted her to stop.

"Last year, we got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in our uncle's house!" she told Fudge and Mr Baker, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said we'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

Unless Holly’s eyes were deceiving her, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward while Mr Baker kept calm and composed. She looked at them suspiciously.

"Circumstances change, Holly...We have to take into account...in the present climate...Surely you don't want to be expelled?"

"Of course I don't!" declared Holly.

"Well then, what's all this fuss about?" laughed Mr Baker. "Now, have a crumpet, while Fudgie goes and see if Tom's got a room for you two. I have some things I’d like to talk to you about."

Fudge strode out of the parlor and Holly stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish her for what she'd done? And now she came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?

Harry and Holly looked at the gold-eyed man smiling at them and gulped, pondering what the King of the Vampires could want to talk to them about.

“Let me just say I’m so glad to see the both you again. Sorry if my daughters gave you any trouble last year. They are just like their mother in that way. Smart, stubborn, prideful, outspoken, headstrong, and not good with expressing what they’re truly feelings; if they didn’t have my hair then they’d be mini versions of her. Though Mad is more expressive and accepting and  Rebeckah has more interest in learning or is it more of a wanting to be superior quirk, but that might be a royalty trait. Their aunts have a variety of personalities, like flowers in a garden. Wonder if they effected Madigan and Rebeckah?…Then again they do have that same Victorian beauty that their mother has; I remember the first time I laid my eyes on her. How her eyes–” 

“Um, Mr Baker, what did you want to talk to us about?” asked Holly, knowing how rude it was to interrupt, especially when the person talking was royalty, but she want the bad news to come quickly.

“Right, of course, sorry I tend to babble a lot.” said Mr Baker as her got up and walk around the room. “I heard about your…adventures last year involving the Chamber of Secrets. Let’s just say I’m quite impressed. I mean when I heard my little girl got petrified I was so worried. Then Mad tells me about how you two both took on a Basilisk to rescue your fellow housemate. I just had to meet you again to give you my congrats. But the real reason that I wanted to talk to you is about Madigan and  Rebeckah ’s relationship.”

“A-are they fighting again?” asked Harry, thinking they would be blamed for it.

“No, that’s why it is so bizarre. I haven’t seen them get along so well since they were…Well toddlers actually. It has really saved us money on castle and furniture repairs. They couldn’t stand to be in the same room, and then on Christmas I hear they are hanging out in the library together.” Mr Baker looked like he was about to weep in joy. He sat back down and stared into his drink with a sad smile on his face.

“They used to be so loving to each other when they were little. Always playing together, but when they were old enough they needed to start learning about what society wanted them to do. They started to separate from each other because of their different statuses, thinking that they’re personal efforts, talents, and merits didn’t matter at all. I can’t really understand how it feels, since I married into the royal family, but women who are born into royalty must devote themselves to their people. They are born into shackles that they cannot free themselves from. From the very start, that is their destiny.”

Harry and Holly felt bad for Mad and Becca, not knowing that they had it so rough. Holly always thought that girls always dreamed of being princesses, but never realized how hard it was to be royalty. Then Mr Baker gave them a warm sincere smile.

“But meeting you two has changed them for the better. Madigan is always saying how you make things around you so fun and exciting and how you stand up for your pals even if they’re a little…troublesome at times.  Rebeckah was really looking forward to meeting the both of you, saying how she really wanted to become friends. She has a hard time expressing herself correctly, so please bear with her, okay? I’d hate to see her drop out of school like her older brother. Also please don’t be afraid to come over to the castle if you want to hang out Madigan and  Rebeckah or need someone to talk to. I’ve been told I’m an excellent listener.”

Harry and Holly reddened at the compliments before nodding their heads.

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.

"Room eleven's free," said Fudge. "I hope you don’t mind sharing? I think you both will be very comfortable. Just one thing and I'm sure you'll understand...I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no...Best we know where you are...I mean..."

“Would you look at the time Fudgie? We should let the kids rest.” said Mr Baker pulling out an old and beat up golden pocket watch, that made Holly question why royalty would carry around such haggard looking thing. He put his cloak and glasses back, while Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, we'll be off, plenty to do, you know..."

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Holly asked.

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.

"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed...and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."

Fudge shuddered slightly.

"So, I'll say good-bye."

He held out his hand to Holly and Harry, shaking it, the latter had a sudden idea.

"Er -- Minister? Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.

"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but our aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could --?"

Fudge was looking uncomfortable.

"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian --"

"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave us permission..."

"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. Holly sighed. She wanted to go to Hogsmeade with Mad, Shannon, Christian, Hermione, Ron and her twin brother, Harry. Neither of them had been there and Holly definitely wanted to have some fun in a wizarding village. Fred and George had told her a lot about the village and it sounded amazing.

"Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't...yes...well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry and Holly."

“It was nice meeting you again, Harry and Holly. If you want to come over on the breaks, then let us know. You’ll probably see Madigan and Shannon soon. They just love shopping here.”

And with a last smile and shake of their hands, Fudge and Mr Baker left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry and Holly.

"If you'll follow me, Mr and Ms Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..."

Holly, along with Harry, followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for them.

Inside were two very comfortable-looking beds, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe –

"Hedwig!" Harry gasped. Holly hurried over to Heidi, who flew over and perched onto her shoulder, nuzzling her beak into Holly’s head.

"Very smart owls you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr and Ms Potter, don't hesitate to ask."

He gave another bow and left.

Holly sat down on her bed and stroked Heidi’s feathers, talking to Harry about the whole situation before the latter when to bed. Holly stayed up for a little more, lost in thought. The sky outside the window was rapidly changing from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely grey and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. As she looked out the window, Holly could hardly believe that she and Harry had left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that she wasn’t expelled, and that they were now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks, which was good actually.

"It's been a very weird night, Heidi," she yawned, Heidi hooting in response.

And before long, Holly had slumped back onto her pillows and fell asleep as well.


	69. Bk 3: Ch6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be too busy to update this fic tomorrow, so I'm doing it a day early. Enjoy~

It took quite some time for Holly to get used to the sudden new freedom she and Harry were granted ever since they arrived in the Wizarding world, even with the threat of Sirius Black looming over them. Still, Holly looked onto the positive side of the whole deal, because never before where either she or Harry allowed getting up when they wanted or eat whatever they liked and how much they liked.  Not only that, they were now allowed to go around wherever they liked, of course, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, but Holly didn’t feel restricted at all, because this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world. With all this, Holly felt no desire to break her word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.

Their day would start by a simple breakfast in the Leaky Cauldron, where they watched and talked about other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woolen balaclava.

After breakfast they would go out into the backyard, take out their wands, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall. Holly loved the feeling when she watched the archway open. She was constantly taken back to her first time here.

So then they would spend the long, sunny days at exploring the shops and eating under those brightly colored umbrellas that were outside of cafes, where they would usually find some of their fellow diners showing off their purchases to each other ("It's a lunascope, old boy -- no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("Personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban").

Neither of the Potters had to do their homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore, either! They could now sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, finishing all their essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry and Holly free sundaes every half an hour. Holly loved every minute of it.

Once they had refilled their respective money bags with Galleons, Sickles and Knuts from Gringotts, they had a pretty hard time controlling themselves when it came to spending them. Especially Harry. Holly had to keep reminding him, and herself, that they still had five years at Hogwarts left, and if they were to spend everything now, they’ll have a hard time asking money from the Dursleys for spellbooks, to stop him from buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirt a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lose a point). Though Harry was having his own difficulties, Holly was having a hard time at what appeared in her favorite shop of all, Quality Quidditch Supplies, a week after they’d arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.

Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Holly had edged her way inside, pulling Harry along, and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until she glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom she had ever seen in her life.

"Just come out -- prototype --" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than the Potters, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favorites for the World Cup!"

Holly looked at Harry excitedly, who smiled slightly at her.

A large witch in front of Holly moved, and she was able to read the sign next to the broom:

 _** THE FIREBOLT **_ _THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAM-LINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BRAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST._

Price on request... Suddenly, Holly’s face fell. She didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. She had never wanted anything as much in her whole life -- but she had never lost a Quidditch match on her Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying her and Harry’s Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when she had a very good broom already? Holly didn't ask for the price, but she returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt. Harry almost came along every day.

There were, however, things that Holly and Harry needed to buy. They went to the Apothecary to replenish their store of potions ingredients, and as Harry’s school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg (As mentioned before, Harry had gotten almost as tall as Holly), he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, they had to buy their new schoolbooks, which would include those for their new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, also Arithmancy for Holly.

Holly was surprised when she looked inside the bookshop the first time through the window. Because instead of gold-embossed spellbooks, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

Holly pulled out the list of the books they need and consulted it for the first time. The Monster Book of Monsters was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures. Now she understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. She felt relieved; she had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet. She loved the animals but still, Hagrid could be a little emotional when the animal had to go.  


As Harry and Holly entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward them.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Harry, "We need --"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing them aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and preceded toward the door of the Monster Books' cage.

"Hang on;" said Holly quickly, "We've already got one of that each."

"Have you?" A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning --"

“Mi scusi, do you have any copies of The Mostro Book of Mostri?”

“She talking about The Monster Book of Monsters.” said two familiar voices from behind them. The twins turned around to see their friend Mad, Shannon, and Christian. The manager groaned and went to get their books.

“Holly!” screamed Shannon as she tackled her fellow redhead into a tight hug. “I missed you SO much~ I didn’t even recognize you~ I thought you were a boy for moment~ How is my beautiful future wife ?~”

“Shannon…can’t…breath…” moaned Holly, as Shannon tightened her hug. Finally Mad pried the girl off Holly, who was collecting her breaths.

A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the Monster Books had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

“Sounds like the book is a real page ripper.” said Christian, getting groans from the others.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart, handing three books to Mad, Shannon, and Christian. The trio quickly shoving the books into their bags, though not without throwing some punches and elbows to get them in there. 

“Talk about hitting the books.” Shannon gave Christian some peanut butter taffy to shut him up.

"I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the Invisible Book of Invisibility -- cost a fortune, and we never found them...Well...is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes," said Holly, looking down their booklist, "We need two Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky."

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading the two Potters into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks and Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul.

"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down two thick, black-bound books. "Unfogging the Future. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods -palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails."

But Holly wasn't really listening. Her eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table:  _Death Omens -- What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming._

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Holly was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

But Holly continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar...

“What are you looking at, My Prince~”

Holly jumped as Shannon groped her from behind. She grabbed the girl’s arm before tossing her over her shoulder. “Don’t do that?!”

“Ow, she judoed me bro~” chimed Shannon as Christian helped her off the floor.

“I tried to warn you, idiota. If you do that, you’re going to get flipped.” said Mad. “Also magnifico Ippon seoi nage, Holly. I’ve taught you well.”

“Thanks, Mad.” said Holly, blushing at the compliment. Last year Mad had taught Holly some of her judo moves, in case someone ever tried to sneak up on her, though so far it was just used when Shannon tried to grope her.

Harry pulled Holly away from the trio just as the manager passed them two copies of Unfogging the Future.

"Anything else?" he said.

"Yes," said Holly, looking back down at the list. "Er -- We need two copies of Intermediate Transfiguration and The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three."

Ten minutes later, the Potters with the others emerged from Flourish and Blotts with their new books under their arms and made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron, talking constantly, hardly noticing where they were going and bumping into several people.

“You guys are staying at the Leaky Cauldron? Great! That means you can go shopping with us after you drop off your books!” cheered Shannon with stars in her eyes. “There are so many cute outfits on sale right now~”

Holly was about to refuse not really a fan of shopping. She mostly had baggy hand me downs from Dudley or clothes that she shared with Harry, though didn’t really care as long as the clothes were comfortable and wearable. Even right now she had on a baggy plain plaid short sleeved button up and tan knee shorts.

“Well, um, sorry but I would feel bad about leaving Harry and –”

“Aww~ That’s so kind of you, My Prince but don’t you fret~ While Mad and I shop with you Dummy (Christian) can show Harry around~”

Holly panicked, looking to her twin for help but was disheartened when he said how he’d like that idea. In the end she couldn’t bring herself to say no as she saw Shannon’s big brown puppy dog eyes staring at her from behind Shannon’s cherry red cat’s eye glasses. Holly gave in and nodded her head.

“Yaysies~ I have so many things I want you to try on~” beamed Shannon, as literally jumped for joy all the way back to the Leaky Cauldron.

They tramped up the stairs to their shared room, went inside, and while Harry tipped his books onto his bed (he then left to meet Christian), Holly settled them carefully on her bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Holly could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle Street behind her and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. She suddenly caught sight of herself in the mirror over the basin.

"It can't have been a death omen," she told her reflection defiantly, her eyes narrowed slightly. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent…It was probably just a stray dog…Yeah, that sounds plausible…I’m just over thinking things…"

She fiddled with her ponytail.  

"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice.

Holly glared at the reflective furniture. “No one asked your opinion!”

She gave the mirror a glare before going down to meet with Mad and Shannon to go…clothes shopping. Where’s a death omen when you need it?


	70. Bk 3: Ch7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song doesn't belong to me. It's Song of the Witches by S. J. Tucker.

After she had dropped off her books Shannon and Mad had dragged her to shop called Twilfitt and Tatting’s, a wizarding clothing store that was full of expensive and fashionable clothes. Shannon squealed before dragging Mad and Holly to the dressing rooms and telling the works to bring them the new fall line. Soon they were in huge private dressing room as workers brought in expensive looking outfits.

“Do I really have to do this?” asked Holly, her eyes deadpanning at the numerous dresses that were brought in. She wasn’t a fan of dresses.

“Of course, girl! I mean for the love of all things that are fashionable you don’t even have a proper party dress or heels!” stated Shannon as she stripped off her frilly pink dress. “I mean it no wonder you get mistaken for a boy so much.”

“I don’t get mistaken for a boy?! And I don’t have any need for dresses or heels?!”

Shannon looked at Holly like she had killed someone. “Every girl needs at least ONE good dress and pair of heels!? For fuck’s sake, Holly! You’re such a butch!”

“Why you?!” Holly moved to strangle Shannon.

“SILENZIO!” yelled Mad in a deep commanding voice that Holly was suited for a future ruler. The two girls both closed their mouths and after an awkward silence Shannon spoke up again.

“You know, Holly, you’re starting to get a figure. Have you started wearing a bra yet?” Shannon eyes combed over the body of her younger friend, Holly blushing covered her chest, clutching the fabric of her shirt.

“That’s none of your business!?”

“I’m just saying that you’re going to need to start wearing them as you begin to grow, especially when you start playing Quidditch. You’re going to need to protect your breasts and give them support.”

Holly looked taken back by the fact Shannon was making sense. “I never thought about that…’

“Also don’t wanna look like you’re smuggling raisins under your shirt-OW! Hey watch the dress!”

“Don’t be crude, idiota.” said Mad as she adjusted the collar on her outfit, Shannon rubbed her punched shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like your any better.” Shannon turned to the doorway. “Hey, can someone bring in some bras.”

Quickly a worker came in a brought in the requested clothing and left. Shannon examined the bras, sorting through them before tossing Holly a nude sports bra.

“Try that one on and see if it’s a good fit. Since you’re still growing and you’ll be playing Quidditch the sports bra is the way to go. It’s designed to hold your boobs snugly against your chest so they don’t bounce around while you’re running or jumping. Plus since you don’t wear the cardigan or vest, you should make it nude or white so it doesn’t show through your shirt.”

Holly looked at the bra in her hands before looking at Mad and Shannon, who had turned their backs to her, busying themselves with trying on more outfits as a way to give Holly some privacy.

“So you guy looking forward to seeing anyone particular this year at school?~” Shannon asked inquisitively. “Mad~”

“What! I-I have no idea what you talking about!” replied Mad shakily, her cheeks red in embarrassment, which got Holly curious.

“Really? Who is it?”

“I’ll give you a hint it starts with an ‘S’ ends with a ‘E’ and has a big ‘N-A-P’ in the middle~” said Shannon, spelling out the letters in cheerleading positions.

“…SNAPE?!?!” Holly was shocked and horrified. “You have a crush on SNAPE!?”

“SI! So what?! What’s wrong with that?!”

“Well he’s like WAY older then you –”

“He’s a teacher –”

“You’re his student –”

“He’s not that good looking –”

“He’s really–”

“I get it! Well it’s not like I’m the solo ragazza that’s fallen for someone older then her or even her professore!” Mad hissed, trying to hide her blush. “It’s just…He really helped me feel better last anno when Becca got pietrificato and he’s so maturo and intelligente and kind and handsome-”

“Are we still talking about Snape?” inquired Shannon. “Because I think the potion fumes are causing your brain to mel-TCH! Will you stop hitting me?!”

“Then don’t say mean things about other people’s romantica feelings, Miss-I-lost-my-virginity-to-one-my-mamma’s-modelli!” Mad said to Shannon as they turned to their attention toward the tiny redhead, who just shrugged.

“Hey, it’s not a crime to like older woman~”

“It’s a crime when they sleep with a 14 year old!”

“Whatever. It was consensual and it’s not like you’re a virgin yourself, Mad~”

“Wait, wait, wait.” said a blushing Holly, trying to understand. “I don’t get any of what you two are saying.”

Mad and Shannon stared at Holly before looking at each other and nodding their heads in some kind of understanding.

“We didn’t realize that…”

“Realize what?” asked Holly, turning her head in confusion.

“Well Ron was always saying how you would go into the guy’s dormitory…” Mad and Shannon looking awkward.

“…so we assunto that you had already…you know…”

“…popped your virginity cherry.”

Holly couldn’t believe what she was hearing; she hadn’t even had her first kiss yet. It didn’t help when Mad and Shannon didn’t let up.

“I had always thought it was one of your house’s boys, like Dean or Neville.”

“I always sospetta it was one of the older boys, like Wood or Lee.”

“It doesn’t have to be a boy though, Mad. I mean have you seen Angelina or Katie. Those Quidditch uniforms don’t them justice.” Shannon got a perverted look on her face.

“Well, your right about that.” said Holly, answering before she realized it. Shannon and Mad’s eyes gleamed, thinking their friend shared the same thing.

“I know right! I think Angelina has the best ass out of the older girls, but Katie seems like the kind of girl to be into some real kinky shit! Don’t you think so, Holly?”

“What – No – Maybe – I don’t know!” stammered Holly, her face red in embarrassment. “None of that stuff should be happening at school?!”

The expressions Mad and Shannon’s gave Holly just screamed ‘Are you serious?’ Holly knew they knew something she obviously didn’t, even more when they broke into laughter.

“What?”

“Bwahahahahahaha! Seriously, Holly! What do you think will happen when you put hundreds of hormonal teenagers together under the same roof! Play patty cake and do their homework!” Shannon was laughing so hard her stomach hurt.

“Si, some studenti actually rent out their dormitori for others to fuck in and the parti some of the older years have can get really weird.” added Mad.

“Yeah, those Ravenclaws nerds like some really gross kinky shit. I mean when they say exploratory they ain’t fucking kidding. I’m not saying that all of its bad but just not for beginners……or the faint of heart.”

“Uh-huh, I get what you saying. I much preferire the Hufflepuff parti. They certamente aren’t afraid to work for it.”

“Though Gryffindors have that certain rough and tumble charm to them. By that I mean they’ll tumble you raw. You know what they say you can sleep with a Ravenclaw. You can sleep with a Hufflepuff, but you’ll never get any sleep with a Gryffindor.”

“You’re right about that, you know that Ravenclaw Prefetto from last year. I saw her sneaking around with Percy during their night shifts. You wouldn’t believe what I heard coming from some of the empty classrooms.”

“Knock it off you two.” said Holly, her mind now knowing more then she wanted to about Percy Weasley. “Jeez, are all Slytherins this perverted?”

“Being a Slytherin ain’t got nothing to do with it babe~” Shannon dodged a punch from Holly for calling her ‘babe’, giving the girl a wink and blowing her a kiss. “It’s the springtime for hormones.”

“Though are mascotte being phallic simbolo kind of helps.”

“And are ‘sharp’ tongues too.” teased Shannon, making lewd gestures with her tongue. “But seriously, Holly. You’re thrirteen. If you don’t do something now, you’ll miss the boat. In fact, I’m already thinking you’re missing out on a lot of things right now.”

“Such as?” Holly prompted.

“Kissing, dating, sex…” Mad said without hesitation, listing them on her fingers.

Holly deadpanned. “Kissing? Dating? And I’m missing out how?”

“You’re a total virgin,” Shannon said. “I mean, I’m not trying to judge you or anything. You know me. You’re my friend, and I totally respect you for that. But come on… There are more important things in life than school and quidditch.”

Holly cocked her head to one side. “I’m sure dating and se-other activities are very pleasant and all, especially when you do it with someone you love.”

Mad nodded in agreement. “I concordo. That’s why I’m saving my first time for mio speciale someone.”

“Didn’t really need to know that last part, Mad.” Holly commented.

“Seriously?” Shannon chuckled. “Are you waiting for Snape to turn into your Prince Charming or something?”

Holly quickly interrupted before Mad could kill Shannon. “I’ll know when I’m ready for it.”

Her two friends looked at her confused. “For what?”

“For both. The relationship and the sex,” She replied. “And now can we please talk about something else?”

After Mad and Shannon got tired of teasing Holly and sporting sore shoulders they continued around Diagon Alley stopping at shops such as Amanuensis Quills for more pink parchment to the Sugarplum’s Sweets Shop for more blood lollipops as well as the various stalls and peddlers. Finally after picking up Mad’s guitar from a repair shop (“Some idiota thought it would be cool to smash it then light it on fire.” explained Mad, eying Shannon who smiled innocently.) and getting a new wand for Shannon (“Not my fault that wands look like drumsticks~”) taking a break at Florean’s, where Shannon had preceded to order every weird thing on the menu.  

“Sooooo~ what did you guys do over the summer?” asked Shannon, sipping her double chocolate and black pepper goat cheese truffle shake.

Holly explained what had happened with her aunt and how they met with the Minister of Magic and Mad’s dad. Shannon wouldn’t stop laughing about Holly turning her aunt into a human dirigible and Mad was more concerned about what her dad had told them.

“That grande idiota! What was he thinking saying something so stupid!” Mad sighed, looking like she was about to get yelled at.  “……So you finally know?”

Holly told her that it didn’t matter to her that Mad was royalty (no matter how hard it was to believe) and that they were still her friends, which made the give a sigh of relief.

“You’re still Mad and my friend. Everyone has their secrets.” Holly stated.

“Well since we’re being honest. I haven’t been exactly truthful about my name.”

Holly blinked, not expecting that. “Then what is it?”

“My full name is Madigan Rosabella Naurial Eltrix Marceline du Phaedra Seneca Valeria Florence de Nocturn.”

“I’m going to keep calling you Mad.” Holly stated, knowing that she could never remember all that.

Mad was satisfied, though her embarrassment at her father still didn’t vanish.

 “No, it’s fine it just took me off guard……He was really…friendly.” Holly couldn’t think of a better word to describe him.

“That’s not much of a sorpressa. He thinks very highly of you and tuo fratello.” said Mad, who was shoveling some of her chocolate cherry sundae into her mouth.

“Why?”

“Cause of the whole You-know-who incident. Duh. Get a clue, girlfriend.” stated Shannon matter-of-factly as she munched on her white chocolate and habanero ice cream cone. She was never known for her subtlety, often telling it like it is not caring how much it hurt. She dodged a flying utensil Mad had thrown.

“A fork! You couldn’t have thrown the spoon!”

Mad threw her spoon.

“Awwwww~ you do care~”

Mad straightened herself out as she turned back to Holly.

“As coarse as it is, Shannon is corretto. Did you happen to see a pocket watch mio padre’s has?”

“Yeah, I thought it was weird for a king to have it…” commented Holly, shoveling ice cream into her mouth.

“That’s because it’s not from the royal famiglia. It originarimente belonged to his padre, mi grandfather. He was a muggleborn mago from Leeds that immigrato to America before the First Wizarding War began and right after he arrives he meets beautiful pureblooded vampire, mi nonna. They fall madly in love and a few months later mio padre was born.” Mad’s expression changed to bittersweet.

“Then in the middle of the First Wizarding War, he returns to Leeds to get his padre’s most prized possesso that was left behind…a matching gold pocket watch and ring from his padre and the padre before him and his padre before him and…You get the idea. He was able to smuggle one of them out just before the house was…” Mad blinked, trying to keep herself from tearing up, gulping down more ice cream. “The watch made it out of Europa. Grandpa did not.”

Holly felt so bad for Mad and her father, Mr Baker must have been a kid, probably just out of school, when he lost his father. She gained some respect for the vampire king, thinking how someone could go through an event so sad and still smile so brightly.

“That story always gets me in my feels~” said Shannon, who was crying into her ice cream. “Let’s talk about something less heart wrenching like dissection or medieval torture methods~ Ooh or maybe some new songs~” Shannon held out Holly’s little black journal.

“What the–When did–How?!” said Holly feeling her person just in case anything else was missing.

“I took it when you weren’t looking~” said Shannon as she flipped through Holly’s book. “You know this SL person sounds like a real bitch~ She sounds like me kind of girl~”

Holly and Mad shared a look.

Shannon squealed, showing the book to Mad. “Oooh, I like this song~ Check it out, Mad~”

Mad took look at lyrics Holly had written, it was one of the songs she wrote late at night when she couldn’t sleep.

“This is pretty buono. Do you have any idee about the melodia?”

“Yes, I was thinking something like…

 _You think you know witches from stories and such  
maybe the truth isn't asking too much   
w_ _e look at the future and help it along_  
to stir such a cauldron, you've got to be strong”

 “Eccellente! Keep going!” said Mad, grabbing her guitar.

“Ooh ooh, let me try~” Shannon grabbed the book, propping it up on the table as she used the table as bongos, other customers listening to the song.

 _Shannon: It's grander than fiction, the life that we lead._  
Just think of your prospects, my darling take heed:   
a sprinkle of glamour, a dollop of charm,   
trading family secrets and recipes long as your arm! 

Holly, Mad, and Shannon smiled at the lyrics as Shannon grabbed Holly to twirl her around, the other customers swaying in enjoyment and tapping their feet to the rhythm. A small crowd had even gathered to watch or join in.

“Who would’ve guessed that’d we’d get ice cream and a show.” said Florean Fortescue.

 _Ask us to glance at your schedule next week._  
We'll churn you a forecast that wriggles and reeks   
made of salt and umbrellas and typewriters too   
and all of the things that you're ever to do 

The rest of the shop’s patrons were beginning to get out of their seats and dance around as well. Shannon had left to dance with an elderly woman, Holly doing the same with an older gentleman. Soon both girls were swept into a fast paced jig, continuing to sing as Mad kept strumming.

 _There's no need for vanity, no need for fuss._  
We know that you're bursting to be one of us.   
We stir up the truth, but it's never to harm,   
steeped in family secrets and recipes long as your arm!

Holly still sang as she was handed from person to person. She was swung into the next pair of arms, smiling at the young teenage boy with chiseled features, dark hair, and lovely bright grey eyes. He smiled back at her as he moved with her to the tune of the song, dancing excitedly around the tables.

 _Tyranny’s child has not broken us yet_  
Try as she might, not a drop will she get   
Tyranny's tantrums have come into play   
striking down witches for what we don't say   
Oh, no 

_On the outside we look proper and prim but we_  
battle nobility's ill-advised whim.   
Shameless and shining, we always ask why,   
for what cooks in our cauldron could call down the sky. 

Then she was swung into the arms of a short little man who looked rather familiar. She was trying to place him when he swung her away into the arms of the next person.

 _Best believe we fought hard when temptation arrived_  
threatening with lions and offering bribes   
We'd not do her bidding and draw down the moon,   
though she murdered our brothers and mother for want of a spoon! 

_Tyranny's child has not broken us yet  
_ _Try as she might, not a drop will she get!  
_ _Tyranny's tantrums have come into play,_  
striking down witches for want of a day!   
Oh, no. 

Next was Florean Fortescue who twirled her around happily, smelling of ice cream. She was surprised when he sang along with her.

 _It's when we are human that you must take care_  
and learn how to dance when there's blood on the air.   
The world is a dangerous place, little one,   
but you already know there are marvelous deeds to be done! 

_Wicked and strong in our shining we stand,_  
straight backed with a drop of the future to hand;   
it's when we are human that you must take care,   
but wonders will come to you, darling if only you dare! 

Finally was swung into a familiar set of arms. She looked to see Harry, also getting a glance of Christian dancing with Shannon. She happily danced with her brother.

 _Tyranny's child has not broken us yet!_  
Try as she might, not a drop will she get!   
Tyranny's towers can't topple too soon from   
striking down witches for want of a spoon,   
Oh no!

As the song ended, she bowed to her brother as crowd and patrons applauded. They both sat back down at their table, Shannon and Christian doing the same. Florean had brought them some free sundaes. After they finished it was getting dark so the Potter Twins said farewell to their friends as went back to the Leaky Cauldron. Holly felt so refreshed and tired, thinking how it wasn’t so bad to go clothes shopping, though she didn’t feel like buying a dress or heels anytime soon.


	71. Bk 3: Ch8

As the days slipped by, Holly and Harry had started looking around for any sign of Ron, Hermione or the others, especially after a bunch of Hogwarts students were coming around the Diagon Alley. It wasn’t long before the next term started. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, his fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies (Where Holly had pulled him along), where they too were ogling the Firebolt; the Potters also ran into the  _real_  Neville Longbottom along with Rebeckah Baker, Abby Clarke, and Cassiopeia Lapp outside Flourish and Blotts. But they didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother. Becca looked to be in a long rant to Cassie and Abby about _The Pocket History of Charms in Western Asia_ book being illogical and poorly written _._

Holly hoped she never found out that they (The Potters) had pretended to be Neville and his fake sister while on the run from the Ministry of Magic.

Holly had begun to sleep late on the last day of the holidays, usually not falling asleep until early into the morning of the next day. She just didn’t feel safe falling asleep at night, like something was going to get her and her brother. So even though she felt tired and she’d regularly snuggle into the covers again and tossing and turning trying to fall asleep or play with her brother’s hair, not like the headache that was turning her eyesight foggy. She stood up and stretched, thinking about how she and Harry would at least be able to meet their best friends tomorrow on the Hogwarts Express. She felt a little excited as she changed into some of the clothes she had in her trunk and putting her hair in a ponytail. She walked out of the room and found Harry in the Leaky Cauldron, already dressed and eating. She sat down for a moment.

“When did you get up?” She asked, picking up some bacon from Harry’s plate, her hair straight and lifeless being groggy from just waking up. Harry gave her a look but Holly simply grinned back.

“Just a while ago,” Harry shrugged. Holly grabbed some of her brother’s toast. “You looked exhausted so I didn’t wake you up,” He saw Holly smirk. “You would’ve killed me,” He joked.

“Nice decision. So…” Holly went on. “I want to go look at the Firebolt again, and you’re coming along,”

“Right,” Harry nodded, take a sip of water.

“Hurry!”

Soon both of the Potters found themselves walking down the cobbled street, Holly walking fast in anticipation, wanting to get to the Firebolt as soon as she could. Harry, on the other hand, was wondering what they should have for lunch when he suddenly heard someone calling his and his sister’s names.

"Harry! Holly!"

Harry turned around and saw them both there, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor -- Ron looking incredibly freckly, Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him and Holly. Harry hurried over to them, pulling along Holly who hadn’t noticed the yelling and would’ve continued her way down the street if she wasn’t grabbed by Harry.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry and Holly as they sat down. Holly smiled at their best friends. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and --"

"We got all our school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew we were staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

“Mad said it in her letter to me.” said Hermione.

Mr Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.

"Did you really blow up your aunt?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

"I didn't mean to," said Holly, while Ron roared with laughter. Harry slipped a small smile as well. "I just -- lost control."

"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Holly wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Holly. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." She looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Holly Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you two can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!"

Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" said Harry happily, looking at Holly, who nodded at him, grinning. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books --" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I," said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies --"

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly. “Besides Holly is taking Muggle Music.”

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them. Holly leaned back in her chair, playing with her necklace, watching her friends, feeling happy. She wished the day went on and on like this.

"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig, Holly’s got Heidi and you've got Errol –“

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Holly, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now after Mad and Shannon dragged her around when they went shopping. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages, though for Holly it was more like fawning.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise.

Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens (Holly wanted to get one but Harry said no), a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly (Again, Holly wanted to get one but this time, Harry dragged her away saying “You can’t buy every animal thing you see!”), and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was second-hand and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er --" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these --"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs." Which cause Holly to chuckle.

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much -- OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers. Holly stared at the creatures in surprise and wonder.

“I’m going to give that a 9.5, but next time you gotta stick the landing.” said Holly to the cat, getting a chuckle from Harry.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry and Holly looked at each other and followed quickly.

“Get back here, Scabby!” Holly shouted.

It took them nearly ten minutes to catch Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stuffed the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head.

"What was that?"

"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said Harry. Holly snorted in laughter.

"Where's Hermione?"

"Probably getting her owl."

They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat.

"You bought that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing. Holly continued laughing, not able to take it. It was too much. She hurried over at her best friend and her new pet.

The cat’s ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms. Holly scratched it slightly behind the ears grinning. She looked over to Ron.

“Hey Ron, he looks kind of like you,” She mused.

“Ha-ha-ha, that’s so funny I forgot to laugh,” Ron grumbled. Harry shook his head, grinning slightly. Ron seemed to remember what the cat had done.

"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron, being the well known Drama queen he was.

"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

“No he didn’t.” said Holly, taking Crookshanks from Hermione and snuggling the cat. “Who’s a big fat furball? You are, yes you are. Who’s a fuzzy little man? You are, yes you are.”

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in our dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

“Poor kitty witty.” said Holly, scratching the cat behind the ears.

"Wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron. "And Holly, seriously, please ask Fred and George to stop talking about you so much,"

Holly nearly dropped Crookshanks in shock, quickly handing the cat to his owner and punching Ron telling to shut up.

They found Mr Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.

"Harry and Holly!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you," said Holly as she, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr Weasley with their shopping.

Mr Weasley put down his paper, and Holly saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at her.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" She heard Harry ask.

"No," said Mr Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money –"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."

At that moment Mrs Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys’ youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him (and Holly), perhaps because they had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at him (Holly would rather let Harry take the credit, if you know what I mean). Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and the Potters had never met and said, "Harry and Holly. How nice to see you."

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh. Holly made a face and nodded, but didn’t reply.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor. Holly shook her head, wanting to get out of here.

"Very well, thanks --"

"Holly!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and hugging the girl. "Simply splendid to see you, Little Holly --"

"Marvelous," said George, hugging Holly from her other side, winking at the redheaded girl, who was red in the face. "Absolutely spiffing. Did our Little Holly miss us?"

Holly and Percy scowled.

“You’re both so…You’re both so…” grumbled Holly, before her patience snapped.

“Handsome –”

“Brave –”

“Charmin–”

_SMACK! SMACK!_

“Stupid! You dummies!” said Holly, straightening her clothes and hide her blush as the twins rubbed their injured shoulders.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you --"

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, Holly, dears. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride. Holly smiled at her.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

“I don't doubt that," said Mrs Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

Ginny giggled. Holly snorted, thinking what school would be like if Fred and George were prefects, Filch would have a heart attack.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner..."

He disappeared and George heaved a sigh and turned to Holly, who was still standing next to him, noticeably shorter than him by a few inches.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Holly. "But Mum spotted us."

“Another one of the great Weasley twins’ pranks foiled again.” Holly retorted, smiling at them.

“Don’t worry, Holly-”

“-We have plenty of more pranks in store.” Fred winked at her.


	72. Bk 3: Ch9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Harry Potter I'm posting a chapter early. Enjoy~

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, the Potter twins, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr Weasley.

Everyone looked up at him. Holly furrowed her eyebrows. What? The Ministry? 

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them--"

"-- for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs Weasley snorted into their pudding. Holly, who had a hard time controlling her laughter, turned red as she pushed away her pudding as she leaned over the table, hiding her face between her crossed arms, trying to calm down. Fred thumped her on her back lightly, grinning.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice. Holly, who now controlled herself, sat up straight.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor..."

Though his voice was casual, but Holly couldn't help noticing that Mr Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure. She tilted her head slightly, wondering what the meaning behind all this was.

"Good thing, too," said Mrs Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry and Holly’s. Harry was just done with his own trunk, with Holly was sitting on her bed, watching him, as she had already packed her own things when they heard the angry voices through the wall. The two Potters looked at each other.

“Let’s go see what’s wrong,”

“Fine, but don’t think you’ve gotten out of finishing your packing, bro.”

“It was worth a shot.”

The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting. Holly leaned over and looked inside.

"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing --"

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.

"What's up?" said Harry and Holly in unison.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on them.

"So is Scabbers's Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar --"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Holly said to Ron, she nodded at Harry and went downstairs.

She was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when she heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor which caused her to stop, confused. A second later, she recognized them as Mr and Mrs Weasleys’. She hesitated, not wanting them to know she'd heard them arguing, when the sound of her own name made her stop, then move closer to the parlor door, feeling slightly anxious.  
  
"...makes no sense not to tell her," Mr Weasley was saying heatedly. "Holly’s got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating her and Harry like children. They’re thirteen years old and --"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify them!" said Mrs Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Holly back to school with that hanging over her and her brother? For heaven's sake, she's happy not knowing!"

"I don't want to make her miserable, I want to put her on her guard!" retorted Mr Weasley. "You know what Holly, Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves -- they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry and Holly mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to them that night they ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked them up, I'm prepared to bet they would have been dead before the Ministry found them."

"But they’re not dead, they’re fine, so what's the point --"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor heard of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after-"

"But Holly will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Holly-"

There was a thud on wood, which startled Holly, who was sure Mr Weasley had banged his fist on the table.

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts." Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry and Holly dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering them will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Holly and Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."

There was a silence. Holly leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more. She wanted to know everything she could. Why would Black go to Hogwarts? Who at Hogwarts that he was searching for? Harry? Herself? Why did he want Harry or Holly? Was he going to hurt Harry? Holly’s hand clutched into a fist and eyes furrowed. She’d die before she’d let anyone hurt Harry.

"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Holly at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"

"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."

"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"

"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that...but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."

"If they save Holly-"

“… then I will never say another word against them,” said Mr Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."

Holly heard chairs move. As quietly as she could, she hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr and Mrs Weasley were climbing the stairs.

The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Holly waited until she heard Mr and Mrs Weasley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle, her expression confused.

Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.

"We've got it," Fred whispered to Holly, who looked at them curiously. "We've been improving it."

The badge now read  _Bighead Boy_.

Holly forced out a laugh. Fred and George seemed to have noticed the expression on her face because they pulled her down a few steps on the stairs and looked at her expectedly.

“Are you okay?” George asked quietly. He didn’t want Percy to hear him and figure out the whole deal and he knew that Holly probably wouldn’t like it if he asked her that loudly.

“Of course I’m okay,” Holly faked a smile that fell off when she noticed the look George was giving her. George sighed and mumbled something under his breath before pulling her into a hug, Fred following his twin’s actions. It was so sudden that Holly was shocked for a moment before relaxing into the embrace. They would always hug her, to be honest, she kinda liked it, made her feel but she had a hard time reacting right because she wasn’t used to many hugs. It made her feel like everything was going to be alright.

“Holly,” Fred said softly under his breath. “It’s fine. You don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to.”

As Fred and George pulled back, blushing, Holly wondered if they knew about the whole Sirius Black thing, but she shook the thought out of her mind, that can’t be possible. She smiled slightly at them, a little more genuinely. She jumped and almost slipped when she heard Harry call for her suddenly, the twins laughed quietly and made sure Holly was steady before sneaking back to their hiding place, waving a dramatic goodbye to her. She rolled her eyes at the two goofballs’ antics.

Holly shook her head, feeling awfully shy as she went to room number twelve, where she handed Ron the rat tonic, told Harry that she was going to bed early and went back to room number eleven, changing into her pajamas and getting into bed.  She let out a deep sigh and stared at the wall darkened by the lack of light. She rubbed her face and stretched slightly, groaning at the ache that went through her strained bones. But before anything else, her thoughts caught up with her yet again.

_ So Sirius Black was after her and Harry. This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with her because he was so relieved to find them alive. He'd made them both promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on them. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasleys could look after her and Harry until they were on the train. _

Holly lay awake, listening to the muffled shouting next door, bits of Harry’s voice, trying to calm them down and she wondered why she didn’t feel more scared now that she knew Sirius Black was after her. He had murdered thirteen people with one curse; Mr and Mrs Weasley obviously thought Holly would be panic-stricken if she knew the truth. But Holly happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Even Mr Baker, Vampire Royalty, would entrust his children to the headmaster. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him?

And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote. On the other hand…Holly wondered why she wasn’t scared. Maybe she was used to it? Should she tell Harry everything? She should. But then again, why was Black specifically after her? Harry wasn’t in that much of danger as her? Or was he? Because Black was talking about a  _he_ , not a  _she_. The Ministry must be too scared and taking everything literally. Not that she wanted it to be Harry, but Holly wondered why it had to be her. Was this what Dumbledore meant by things getting harder for her in the future?  

All in all, the thing that bothered Holly most was the fact that her and Harry’s chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. Nobody would want Holly to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught; in fact, Holly suspected her every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed.

She scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think she couldn't look after herself? She'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; she wasn't completely useless.... She knew how to look after herself.

Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed her mind.  _What to do when you know the worst is coming..._

"I'm not going to be murdered. I’m going to survive and protect my brother. No one will stand in my way." Holly said out loud.

"That's the spirit, dear," said her mirror sleepily.


	73. Bk 3: Ch10

The next morning, Holly woke up fairly early and looked over and saw Harry sleeping in his own bed. She had fall asleep when she was she still thinking about everything, she didn’t even realize when Harry came in either. She let out a sigh and lay back down, closing her eyes for a moment or two before she heard knocking on the door. It must have been Tom, who woke the Potters up with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea for both of the twins. Harry thanked him and brought in the tea, before shaking Holly awake and handing her his cup of tea. She then grabbed her clothes and went to get dressed.

She made sure her golden snitch necklace was securely around her neck and her hair in a ponytail before going back to the room, grabbing her hot chocolate, sipping it as she cleared off the room and made sure she and Harry had everything. By the time Harry had come along, dressed, Holly had persuaded Hedwig and Heidi back into their cages. She was startled when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.

"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his girlfriend. She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..."

"I've got something to tell you two," Holly began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

They looked at Holly and narrowed their eyes, before winking at her. “You look cute,” Fred said. Holly raised a brow, thinking it was some weird joke that she didn’t get.

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr Weasley was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet with a furrowed brow and Mrs Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. Holly looked at them suspiciously but shook her head, not interested in the story.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked Holly as the three sat down.

"Later," Holly muttered as Percy stormed in.

Holly certainly had no chance to speak to Harry, Ron or Hermione in all the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig, Heidi and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

Mr Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here,” he said.  "Holly, Harry, come on."

Mr Weasley marched the two Potters across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, you both," said Mr Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.

The Potter twins looked at each other, Holly shrugged and got in the back of car and Harry followed her. They were soon joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. Holly looked out of the window suspiciously, keeping look out just in case.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with Holly and Harry’s trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary. Thought Holly noticed that they could actually slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon’s new company car certainly couldn’t have ever managed to. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr Weasley kept close to Holly's elbow all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Holly."

Mr Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Holly’s trolley and apparently very interested in the Inter City 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Holly, he leaned casually against the barrier. Holly imitated him.

In a moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train. Holly let out an inaudible sigh, feeling extremely relieved to see the train, standing strikingly beautiful against the bustling crowd of students and under the grey sky.

Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Holly. They were panting and had apparently taken the barrier at a run.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Holly’s eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. Holly shook her head, laughing.

Once Harry, Hermione and the remaining Weasleys had joined them, Holly and Mr Weasley led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Heidi, Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley.

Mrs Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, then Harry and finally Holly. She was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave her an extra hug.

"Do take care, won't you Holly?" Mrs Weasley said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron...no, they're not corned beef... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are dear..."

" Holly," said Mr Weasley quietly, "come over here for a moment."

He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Holly followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs Weasley.

"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave --" said Mr Weasley in a tense voice.

"It's all right, Mr Weasley," said Holly, "I already know."

"You know? How could you know?"

"I -- er -- I heard you and Mrs Wesley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Holly added quickly, feeling to guilty to look Mr Weasley in the eye. "Sorry --"

"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr Weasley looking anxious.

"No -- honestly it's OK. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on."

"Holly, you must be scared -- "

"I'm not," said Holly sincerely. "Really," she added, because Mr Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Lord Voldemort, can he?"

Mr Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it.

"Holly, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but --"

"Arthur!" called Mrs Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

"She’s coming Molly!" said Mr Weasley, but he turned back to Holly and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice, "Listen, I want you to give me your word --"

"-- that I'll be a good and stay in the castle?" said Holly gloomily. She didn’t want to stay in the castle all the time. She was thirteen years old. She wanted to go out.

"Not entirely," said Mr Weasley, who looked more serious than Holly had ever seen him. "Holly, swear to me you won't go looking for Black."

Holly stared, "What!"

There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.

"Promise me, Holly," said Mr Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens --"

"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me and my brother?" said Holly blankly. She knew she couldn’t promise Mr Weasley, because if by the off chance Sirius Black was after Harry, then she would hunt him down before he could get anywhere near her brother or her friends.

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear --"

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs Weasley.

Steam was billowing from the train it had started to move. Holly ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let her on. Harry made sure she was fine before they leaned out of the window and waved at Mr and Mrs Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Holly muttered to Harry, Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron. Holly slapped Ron over the head for not saying it more nicely.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart. Holly pursed her lips in wonder and tilted her head.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin." whispered Hermione at once.

"How'd you know that?"

"It's on his case, dummy." Holly said, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name Professor R. J. Lupin was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. Ron gave her a look and Holly smirked in reply.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.

"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumors that the job was jinxed. Holly raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway..." he turned to Holly, who was giving him a look, "what were you going to tell us?"

Holly sighed and started to explain everything about Mr and Mrs Wesley's argument and the warning Mr Weasley had just given her, though leaving the part about Harry being a potential target. When she'd finished, Harry looked worried, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after you? Oh, Holly...you'll have to be really, really careful. Don’t go looking for trouble, Holly..."

"I don't go looking for trouble," said Holly, nettled. "Trouble usually finds me."

"How thick would Holly have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill her?" said Ron shakily.

They were taking the news worse than Holly had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than she was. Harry on the other hand, was oddly quiet but had a hold on Holly’s arm as if she would slip out of his grasp any moment. Holly didn’t mind it though, feeling the same about Harry.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too...."

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.

"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.

"Yeah...mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.

"No! Well...I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys...but how else was I supposed to get Harry and Holly's presents to them?"

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up."

He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain --"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way. "But that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"

"What's that?" said Hermione. Holly, on the other hand, remembered the Weasley twins telling her about that shop, though they were more interested to talk about the joke shop.

"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything...Pepper Imps -- they make you smoke at the mouth -- and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next…"

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain --"

"… and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.  
Hermione looked around at Harry and Holly.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

"'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell us when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" said Ron.

"We can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign our permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."

Ron looked horrified.

"You're not allowed to come? But -- no way -- McGonagall or someone will give you permission --"

Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house, was very strict. Holly sighed in defeat, there’s no way they could to Hogsmeade this year.

"… or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle, they would certainly tell you guys."  
  
"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Holly and Harry should be sneaking out of the school with Black on the loose--"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask of permission," said Holly bitterly, looking at her brother. “Please allow me to go to Hogsmeade while a homicidal murderer is loose and potentially looking for me.”

"But if we're with you," said Ron spiritedly. "Black wouldn't dare --"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Holly or Harry just because we're there?"

She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of it!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.


	74. Bk 3: Ch11

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened overhead. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in Holly’s lap, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. And Ron was glaring at Holly, who was trying her best not to laugh and comment on the similarities.

At one o'clock the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

“D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.

"Er -- Professor?" she said. "Excuse me -- Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed a large stack of cauldron cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he is asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean -- he hasn't died, has he?"

“Ron!” Holly had such an expression on Ron’s question that Harry couldn’t help but snort.

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the cauldron cake Holly passed her. The Cauldron Cakes! Holly loved cauldron cakes almost as much as she chocolate frogs. They were one of her very first treats from her first year to Hogwarts.

Anyway, Professor Lupin might not be very good company, but his presence in their compartment had its uses. Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps outside in the corridor again, and their three least favorite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

The Potter twins and Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since they had met on the train to Hogwarts for the first time. Malfoy was in Slytherin house; and he placed Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team as well, same position as Holly’s on Gryffindor. Harry and Draco may have severely hated each other, but Holly and Draco _disliked_  each other. Holly thinking that if Draco had stopped being such a jerk they could become friends. On the other hand, Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potties and the Weasel."

“Oh, what an original insult, Malfoy. Did it take you forever to come up with it?” Holly sneered, Draco burned red sending a glare at the redhead.

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?" Holly’s eyes narrowed in anger. That little bastard did not say that!

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. Holly hurriedly got up as well, giving Crookshanks to Hermione. Thinking this will be the time that she’ll finally get to punch Draco.  

"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron or Holly back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. Holly scowled. She, Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and --"

Ron made a violent gesture in mid-air.

“Let in come with you,” said Holly. “I want to punch that little git as well.” Oh, what she won’t give to see the look on his face. Harry shook his head at her.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be careful..."

But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast..."

“Me too.” Holly looked at the pile of empty boxes of chocolate frogs she had eaten.

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Holly, who was sitting nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. She bit her lower lip, what if something goes wrong? What if-

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Holly felt her way back to his seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"It can’t break down…can it?”

“Dunno.”

There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. She grabbed Harry’s arm quickly.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..."

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Holly’s legs. Holly groaned, causing Harry to jump up.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry--"

“Ow! Watch where you fucking stop, Neville! I can’t see for shit right now! Anyone know what the fuck is going on? ACHOO!? Is there a fucking cat in here?! ACHOO?!”

"Hullo, Neville, Shannon." said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak, Holly doing the same with Shannon. Two more figures came in, one with glowing red eyes that pierced through the darkness. “Hey, Mad, Christian.”

"Ciao guys, so this is where you quattro have been. Any idee of what's happening?"

“Looks like we’re really in the dark in this situation.” Christian commented.

Shannon was spinning around the compartment trying to avoid touching Crookshanks. "Shut it, Christian! You and Mad can see just fucking fine in the dark! And no idea! Now sit the fuck down before –"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Holly felt her pass her, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron --"

"Come in and sit down --"

"Not here!" said Holly hurriedly. "I'm here!"

“Whoever’s hand that is remove it before I remove move your entire arm! ACHOO?!” spat Shannon.

“Mad! You’re on my foot!”

“Oops. Mi dispiace Harry.”

"Ouch!" said Neville.

“Someone should shine some light on this situation.”

“Shut up, Christian!” yelled everyone.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Holly could hear movements in his corner, her eyes narrowed, trying to see carefully.

None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Holly’s eyes darted downward, and what she saw made her stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water....

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Holly’s widened gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Holly, who had previously been breathing quickly, felt her own breath catch in her chest. It was a horrible, horrible feeling. The cold went deeper than her skin. It was inside her chest, it was inside her very heart...

Holly’s dull eyes rolled up into her head. She couldn't see. She was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in her ears as though of water. She was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder...

And then, from far away, she heard what seemed to be screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. She wanted to help whoever it was, she tried to move her arms, but couldn't...a thick white fog was swirling around her, inside her –

"Holly! Holly! Are you all right?"

“My Prince don’t go into the light!”

“She’s not dying, Shannon?!”

Someone was slapping her face. She groaned, feeling like something so horrible she could hardly put them in words.

"W-what?"

She opened her eyes, blinking; there were lanterns above her, and the floor was shaking -- the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. Holly seemed to have slid out of her seat onto the floor. Harry was the nearest to her, who sighed in relief when he saw her wake up, not to mention, it seemed like it was him who was trying to wake her up. Then there were Ron and Hermione, who were kneeling next to her, and above them she could see Neville, Ginny, Mad, Christian, Shannon and Professor Lupin watching. Holly felt very sick; she groaned feeling the cold sweat on her face as Harry pulled her into a tight hug.

It took a while for Harry to let her go, who then helped her sit back onto her seat. Holly subconsciously patted her brother’s shoulder; the latter looked as white as a ghost and unable to speak.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously, his eyes darting to Holly’s now white hair. Holly wanted to change them but couldn’t.

"Yeah," said Holly, unsure, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that -- that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

Holly looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at her, both very pale and freaked out by her hair color. Holly managed to change them back.

"But I heard a woman screaming…and she…she was--"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Holly, handing her a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Holly took the chocolate, thanking him with a few nods but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" she asked Lupin.

"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..."

He strolled past Holly and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Holly?" said Hermione, watching Holly anxiously, hardly controlling herself from hugging her.

"I don't get it ... what happened?" said Holly, wiping sweat off her face.

"Well -- that thing -- the Dementor -- stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) -- and you -- you --"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching --"

“Then you kinda fainted or something.” added Shannon, as she checked Holly’s vitals.

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away..."

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..."

“I saw all my most orribile memories flash before my eyes.” said Mad, rubbing her wrists in anxiousness. “I thought I was going vomito.”

“Talk about a head rush.” chided Shannon in a state of stable delirium as she counted Holly’s heartbeats.

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Holly felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her and Shannon stumbled over to go check her on. Holly gave the younger redhead a sad smile.

"But didn't any of you -- fall off your seats?" said Holly awkwardly. Of course it was awkward. She was the last person to be affected by a Dementor. Or so she thought. Holly had never come across any Dementor before and wished she would never again.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Holly again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..."

Holly didn't understand. She felt awfully weak, helpless, and shivery, as though she were recovering from a bad bout of flu; she also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had she gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? How could she protect her brother when she couldn’t even protect herself? She felt Harry wrap an arm around her shoulders.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, anxiously. Holly didn’t speak, instead, she nodded her head and rested it on her brother’s shoulder, burying her face in his shirt. Silently hating herself for being so weak.

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..."

Holly looked at the chocolate for a second or two before taking a bite out of it, and to her surprise, felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of her fingers and toes. Oh, it was no wonder that chocolate was her favorite treat.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Holly?" Holly looked up at the Professor in surprise, but she didn't ask how he knew her name.

"Fine," she muttered, embarrassed.


	75. Bk 3: Ch12

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey, even Shannon and Christian didn’t feel like talking. Holly quietly sat in her seat, leaning against Harry’s shoulder, trying to catch her thoughts. She wanted to get off the train and hurry to the castle. She felt extremely tired. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Holly, who was holding Harry’s hand, Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you lot?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to their giant friend because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. They followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Holly could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. She grabbed her eyes with her free hand.

The coach smelled faintly of mould and straw. Holly felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Hermione kept looking at her sideways, as though frightened she might collapse again. On the other hand, Harry held her hand tightly, feeling the same way as their friends. He knew Holly was already feeling embarrassed and he wanted to leave her hand but he just didn’t feel ‘satisfied’. What if she passed out again and he wasn’t nearby?

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Holly saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again as her breathing quickened; she leaned back into the lumpy seat and closed her eyes, trying to hold her breath as she felt others looking at her, Harry squeezing her hand.

But Holly didn’t open her eyes until they had passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.

As Holly stepped down after Harry, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in her ear.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione and Harry to block Holly’s way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously. Holly still felt sick, but she’d rather eat slugs than faint in front of Malfoy.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

“Or we’ll do it for you.” said Shannon. Malfoy rolled his eyes at his fellow Slytherin before noticing the deathly scary glares Mad and Christian were giving him from behind the short redhead. He quickly hid his moment of fear.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly, obviously not wanting to pick fight with the others. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley? What about you Potter?" He looked at Harry. Holly felt her hand clench and unclench. She wanted to punch the heck of the boy in front of her but controlled herself, taking deep breathes.

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage. Holly felt relief wash over her, because if Professor Lupin hadn’t come over, she would’ve lost control and done what she had always wanted to do; punch Malfoy.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no -- er -- Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle. Holly glared after him. Just because someone wasn’t living off their family’s money didn’t mean that they were any less than someone who is.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the seven of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you two!"

Holly and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. They fought their way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making them feel as if they must have done something wrong.

"There's no need to look so worried -- I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Ms Leyba, Mr Stevenson, Mr Weasley and Mr Potter. Ms Baker your head of house would like a word with you as well."

Mad happily went find her Professor (and crush), while Ron and Harry, the latter quite reluctantly, stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Holly and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Holly and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Ms Potter."

Before Holly could even reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

Holly felt herself going red in the face. It was bad enough that she'd passed out, or whatever she had done, without everyone making all this fuss.

"I'm fine," she said, "I don't need anything --"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at her. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school,” she muttered, pushing back Holly’s red hair and feeling her forehead. "She won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, she's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate --"

"I'm not delicate!" said Holly crossly. This was really embarrassing.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking her pulse.

"What does she need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should she perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine!" said Holly, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if she had to go to the hospital wing was torture. No, she won’t let this happen. She didn’t need to feel worse.

"Well, she should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Holly’s flaming green eyes.

"I've already had some," said Holly. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us. Shannon checked our vitals on the train, too."

"Did they, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Ms Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," Holly lied.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

Holly went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. However, she had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in mid-air. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

Holly didn’t really care about that. Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Holly and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Holly. Had the story of her collapsing in front of the Dementor travelled that fast? She bit her lower lip harshly as she and Hermione reached her brother and Ron.

She dropped down on the seat next to Harry and across from Hermione, who sat down next to Ron, Christian sitting next to Ron with Mad and Shannon across from him.

"What was all that about?" Ron muttered to them, leaning over the table.

Holly started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and she broke off. She let out a deep sigh, feeling a little relieved.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..."

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Holly remembered what Mr Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises -- or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Holly, Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from them, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. Holly was tempted to remind her couldn’t scare someone off just by being Head Boy.

"Also I would like to warn students that someone last year had set up numerous traps and hidden cannons that have been rigged with confetti and glitter inside the school. So please be careful where you step.”

The group friends eyed Shannon who just innocently sipped her pumpkin juice with a childish smile on her face. Last year she had set up some traps to catch the ‘Heir of Slytherin’, but the only thing she seemed to catch was Neville, Abby, and an extremely frightened Fang. They told her to take them down, but she forgot where she hid them.

“On a happier note,” he continued, “I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause as Holly looked up expectantly. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Holly among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes. But that didn’t matter to Holly. She was glad that they actually had another nice teacher to look forward to.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Holly, who didn’t mind Snape at all (she actually kind of liked him as a teacher), was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Holly knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry, though he never seemed to pay Holly any mind unless he had too, even occasionally praising her and Mad’s potions. Still, she wondered what exactly made him look in such way at Professor Lupin, it couldn’t have been just because of the DADA post.

“He does not like the Lupin guy. Mmmm-hmmm.” said Shannon, leaning close to Mad. “Do you think he looks cute when he’s pissed?~”

Mad blushed as she hit her friend over the head.

“That’ll be a total yes~”

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with Mad, Shannon, and Christian’s applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Shannon was so excited that she was doing cartwheels. Holly, who couldn’t help but grin, leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

“I hate that shitty book! It chewed up my fourth favorite pair of sandals! And to a lesser extent, Christian’s left leg.” said Shannon, pouting at the painful and bitey memories. Holly chuckled.

The seven friends were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Holly, who felt like she won’t be able to eat anything, suddenly felt starved and helped herself to everything she liked and began to eat.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. However, Mad, Christian, Shannon, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were eager for it to finish just so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"All thanks’ ter you seven," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it...great man, Dumbledore...came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough...It's what I always wanted..."

Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away.

Mad, Shannon, and Christian wished them good night and left to join their house. Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower, where a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

The fat lady continued to sing looking at the glass in her hand. 

"Fortuna Major," Seamus said loudly. "She still won't let me in."

"No, no wait, wait!" she coughed "La La LLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAA!" she continued staring at the glass it was an awful sound, she smashed the glass on the wall of her portrait. 

"Amazing," she said happily as though she hadn't smashed it herself, "top of my voice." 

"Let us in already! Fortuna Major!" said Holly, close to punching the painting. 

"Oh yes, alright," she said grumpily. "Go in." 

"Thank you." Holly said sarcastically. "She's nuts," she said, as she walked through with Seamus, "she's still doing that, she can't even –"

"Sing!" said Seamus

"Exactly!" said Holly, heading across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. She was about to head up to her dorm with Hermione when Harry latched on to her arm dragging her up to his instead. After the incident on the train he was not going to let his big sister out of his tonight.

Holly didn’t seem to mind, since they were used to sharing a bed together. Even when they arrived at Hogwarts Holly would spend hours in the boys’ dorm room, whether it was hanging out with Ron and Harry or helping Neville with his Potions homework. Sometimes she’d find herself spending the night there when she was too lazy to go back to her dorm. The boys didn’t seem to care, thinking of Holly as just another one of the boys, though no one said in fear being beaten up by her.

Holly climbed the spiral stair with no thought in her head except how glad she was to be back. They reached the familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds, and Holly, looking around, felt she was home at last. 

"Hey look what I got!" Seamus said laughing when everyone came in, he was holding up a bag of sweets that looked like enlarged Bertie Botts's. Neville and Ron's faces lit up. Harry and Holly looked at Dean, who met her confused look with his own. 

"I visited me Gran in Ireland, this shop does um, look." Seamus put a green sweet in his mouth. 

"Ooh ooh ooh eee eee eee aah aah aah!" he screeching like a monkey his body language also becoming like more monkey like. When he finished we all gave him a round of applause. Soon we were all sitting between Dean and Neville's bed eating them all in turn. 

"Here Neville," said Ron "Try an elephant." Neville caught the grey bean and shoved it in his mouth. His head kept jolting forward while he made an elephant's trumpet. When he finished there was another round of applause, Holly laughed she couldn't imagine doing this in a girls dorm. 

"Here, Ron, catch." said Seamus throwing him a red bean, Ron shoved it in his mouth and began to roar like a lion. They all burst out laughing. 

"Ha ha, I think we have a winner!" laughed Dean. Holly never really like the bean candy but thought it couldn’t hurt to finally try one. She went to pick up a white one, Ron saw and as Holly put in her mouth he said. 

"No don't try one of them!" to late Seamus, Neville and Ron groaned amusedly, Holly could feel steam coming from her ears making the sound of a tea kettle’s whistle. 

"Look at her!" laughed Dean. "Look her face!" 

“She blew her top!” joked Harry.

When it was over, Holly lobbed a pillow at Dean, which began a pillow war.

 _I really am home_ , she thought as she whacked Seamus's head from behind with a pillow... 


	76. Bk 3: Ch13

When Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Holly. "Just ignore him; it's not worth it..."

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooooo!"

“Fuck off, Pugface!” yelled Shannon, shaking her fist at her fellow housemate.

Holly pursed her lips at her and glared as she continued her way down to the Gryffindor table where she dropped down heavily onto a chair. She looked at her sides and saw Fred and George. She quickly looked in front of her, not wanting to deal with their mischief this early in the morning.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing then, over. "What's up with you, Holly?"

"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table with Shannon. George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

“That’s it! Christian hold my earrings! No messes with My Prince!” Mad, Ron, and Christian had to hold the tiny redhead back. “I’m going to tear off his ears stick them where the sun don’t shine, so he can hear it when I kick his ass!!!”

"That little git," he said to Holly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the Dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..."

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Holly in a low, miserable voice. She pushed back her long ponytailed hair.

"Forget it, Holly," said George bracingly as he slung an arm over her shoulder, causing her to turn slightly red. Harry narrowed his eyes. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking...They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

Holly and Malfoy had only faced each other once in a Quidditch match, and Malfoy had definitely come off worse. Feeling slightly more cheerful, Holly helped herself to some sausages and fried tomatoes.

Hermione and Mad were examining their new schedules.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," Hermione said happily.

"Hermione, Mad," said Ron, frowning as he looked over their shoulders, "they've messed up your timetables. Look -- they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time."

"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

“Si, I did the same with Professore Snape.”

"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And --" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "look -- underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you two are good, but no one's that good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once."

“Si, don’t be ridicolo, Ron. This is less than then schedule I ricevere at my casa.”

"Well then --"

"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.

"But --"

"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall."

Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.

"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five getting' everthin' ready...hope it's OK...me, a teacher...hones'ly..."

He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.

"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.

“Hopefully something that won’t kill us too badly~” said Shannon, in high spirits after putting a silencing spell on Draco and Pansy.

The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his schedule.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there..."

The four of them finished breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed an annoyed Holly into the Entrance Hall.

The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside North Tower before.

"There's -- got -- to -- be -- a -- short -- cut," Ron panted, as they climbed the seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.

"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.

"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake outside the window..."

“We’re lost.” sighed Holly.

Holly narrowed her eyes at the painting that had caught Harry’s attention as well. A fat, dappled-grey pony had just ambled onto the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Holly was pretty much used to the Hogwarts paintings and how their subjects went around to visit each other, but still, she hadn’t seen all of them and enjoyed watching them whenever she got around a new one. A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armor had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off.

"Aha!" he yelled, seeing Holly, Harry, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"

They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed face down in the grass. Holly narrowed her eyes at the little knight.  _What is he trying to do?_

"Are you all right?" said Harry, moving closer to the picture.

"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!" Holly pulled Harry back.

The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.

"Hello, good sir," said Holly, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we four are on a quest looking for the North Tower where Divination is held. You don't happen to know the way, do you?"

"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!" Holly chuckled, finding him funny.

He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle ladies! On! On!"

And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight. It was really funny; Holly shook her head at the knight.

They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armor. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.

"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.

Puffing loudly, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiraling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.

"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"

"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental."

They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.

"Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher,'" Holly read out loud. "How're we supposed to get up there? Fly?"

As though in answer to her question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Holly’s feet. Everyone got quiet.

"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Holly, giving him a suspicious look, climbed the ladder first.

When she reached the top, she found herself in one of the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen so far. Actually, it didn’t look like any classroom at all, more like something between an attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups.

Ron appeared at Holly’s shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.

"Where is she?" Ron said.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice as Harry stepped up on Holly’s other side.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."

The immediate impression of the Professor was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.

"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table. Holly looked around the classroom, taking in everything once again.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you...Books can take you only so far in this field..."

At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione. Holly shrugged, not really bothered. But she smirked at the look on Hermione’s face when she realized that books wouldn’t help much in this subject.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing’s, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," said Neville tremulously.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."

Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her and edged her chair away from him.

"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball -- if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, two of our numbers will leave us forever."

A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.

"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"

Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.

"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading -- it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."

Lavender trembled. Holly furrowed her eyebrows.  _What would happen?_

"Now, I want you all to divide into groups of three. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, and then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of  _Unfogging the Future_. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear," -- she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."

Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind...thank you..."

When Holly, Harry and Ron had had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly, except Holly, who wasn’t really feeling like drinking tea but managed to gulp it down after it cooled a little bit. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.

"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"

"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid.

Holly poked his forehead, who was succumbing to the drowsiness. “Wake up, bro.”

"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.

Harry tried to pull himself together. Holly sighed and placed Harry’s cup down and grabbed Ron’s cup from his hands.

"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross..." She consulted  _Unfogging the Future_. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' -- sorry about that -- but there's a thing that could be the sun. Hang on...that means 'great happiness'...so you're going to suffer but be very happy..."

"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron, and the three had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.

"My turn..." Ron peered into Holly’s teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..."

He turned the teacup the other way up.                                                        

"But this way it looks more like an acorn...what's that?" He scanned his copy of  _Unfogging the Future_. "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. And there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal...yeah, if that was its head...it looks like a hippo...no, a sheep..."

Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter. Holly had a hard time controlling herself as well as she slapped Harry’s arm, trying to muffle her laughter.  _Hippo? Sheep?Does that mean I’m going to get hungry or shave off all my hair?_

"Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Holly’s cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.

Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counter-clockwise.

"The falcon...my dear, you have a deadly enemy."

"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.

"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Holly, Harry and You-Know-Who."

As Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration, they had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before, Holly stopped laughing. Her face going void of any expression. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Holly’s cup again and continued to turn it. Holly led her breath.

"The club...an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..."

"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.

"The skull...danger in your path, my dear..."

Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.

There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.

"My dear girl -- my poor dear girl -- no -- it is kinder not to say -- no -- don't ask me...."

"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Holly, Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Holly’s cup.

"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."

"The what now?" said Holly, unsure.  _What was she talking about?_   _The Grim?_  It sounded familiar but Holly couldn’t put a finger on it.

She could clearly tell that she and Harry weren't the only ones who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at her and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Holly hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear girl, it is an omen -- the worst omen -- of death!"

Holly’s stomach lurched.  _That dog on the cover of Death Omens in Flourish and Blotts -- the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent..._  Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Holly, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair.

"I don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly. “It kind of looks like our friend Christian.”

Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.

"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."

Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.

"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.

"Well let me know when you've all finished deciding whether I’m going to die or not!" said Holly, taking even herself by surprise at hearing how frantic she sounded. Now nobody seemed to want to look at her. Everyone, except Harry, who grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice. "Yes...please pack away your things..."

Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Holly’s eyes.

"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear," -- she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."

Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, and then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time. Holly mainly stayed in the back of their little group, not wanting to look at anyone either. She quietly followed them, not feeling well.

Holly decided to choose a seat right at the back of the classroom, feeling like she was sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the students kept shooting weird looks at her, as though she was going to drop dead any given moment. She rolled her eyes at them and tried to pay attention to Professor McGonagall, who was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals and sounded pretty interesting) as she watched her turn into a tabby cat that even though as an animal, looked quite like her.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Holly again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and --"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Holly, finally, sounding extremely pessimistic and bored. But inside, Holly still felt scared.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing the redheaded girl with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Ms Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues --" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..."

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Ms Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione laughed. Holly didn’t react, but she felt a tiny bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"

When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."

Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start. Just then Mad, Christian, and Shannon arrived with Abby, Becca, and Cassie.

“What’s with all this crap about My Prince dying?” asked Shannon, sitting down with their friends as she messed with her tarot cards (apparently she learned it over the summer to pick up women).

“It’s already spread to other houses.” sighed Holly, slumping over.

“Trelawney saw a Grim in Holly’s tea leaves and apparently she is going to die from it.” said Hermione, her voice showing how ridiculous she thought it was.

“The tea or the Grim?” asked Abby, not understanding.

“Probabilmente the Grim.” said Mad.

“You mean those big black doggies they talked about in our Divination textbook.” said Abby, who was too naïve to understand the severity of getting a Grim. The others all thought if Abby ever did encounter a Grim in real life she’d probably try to hug it. She was too childlike for her own good.

“Things sure are looking Grim.” said Christian before Shannon shoved some toffee in his mouth to shut him up.

“Not the right time, dummy.”

"Holly," Ron said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, we have," said Harry, answering for Holly, who was pretending to play with her food. "We saw one the night we left the Dursleys'."

Ron let his fork fall with a clatter. Cassie looked like she was about to faint.

"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.

Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.

"Hermione, if Holly’s seen a Grim, that's -- that's bad," he said. "My -- my uncle Bilius saw one and -- and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen; it's the cause of death. And Holly’s still with us because she's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

“I concur with Hermione, the deaths are probably psychosomatic. The wizards obsess so much on seeing the Grim that they can’t help but focus on their death, which involuntarily causes it. It’s like when you’re standing on a cliff. If you start thinking about falling you’re obsessed with falling and end up plummeting.” said Becca. “Just the imbecilic worrying of lesser developed personages.”

“Hey!” Ron glared at Becca.

“Also Holly might not ACTUALLY die.” commented Shannon, as she laid out her cards, not even bothering to look at her friends as they all turned to her.

“What do you mean?” Harry and Holly had some hope in their eyes as Shannon continued to play with her cards.

“Well, I’m not sure about tea leaves and Grims but in tarot the Death card symbolizes change or rebirth. According to my Grandma and the book she gave me.” she threw down a card which had Death himself riding on a white horse, holding a black and white flag. “Death doesn’t necessarily mean actual physical death. The card represents deep transformation, change, or rebirth. There are different types of ‘death’ aka change. Allegorical, metaphorical, symbolic, spiritual, emotional, sexual–”

“That’s enough!” said Harry. “We get it!”

“Well, at least I PROBABLY won’t physically die.” fretted Holly, still not feeling any better.

“No your still gonna die, just probably not today.”

Ron mouthed wordlessly at the girls, while Hermione opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.

"You see, Divination is very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.

"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Holly it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.

“They both sound cute to me.” chided Abby, innocently, only to be ignored.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"

He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"

She snatched up her bag and stalked away.

Ron frowned after her.

"What's she talking about?" he said to the others. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

The girls shook their heads at him, Shannon and Mad chopping him over the head. “Ron, you are an idiot.”

“What I’d do?!”

Holly stared after her best friend. Mad tapped her on the slipping a note into her hand. It simple read:

_Meet at Astronomy Tower at 3am_

_-Mad_


	77. Bk 3: Ch14

Holly momentarily felt her worries melt away when she realized that they were going to go out for their next lesson after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale grey, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot, in short, perfect as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.

Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Harry walked beside them in silence, Holly in front of them, skipping excitedly, unable to stop herself as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, her ponytail bouncing with her.

Everything seemed amazing. Until, she stopped the three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that she realized they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Holly stopped skipping. She was quite sure she knew what they were talking about. Then her hopes rose again at hearing a familiar voice.

“Ciao ragazzi, what took you so long?” said Mad, walking with Shannon and Christian to their Gryffindor mates. They had left for their class earlier.

“Holly wouldn’t stop getting seconds.” answered Harry.

“I was making sure I had energy for class!” shrugged Holly.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are here~ It wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t risk our lives together~” chuckled Shannon, excited about the class as much as Holly, though for different reasons.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. Mad and Holly had stop themselves from petting the lovable dog.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one nasty moment, Holly thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest; she had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last her a lifetime. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there. Holly looked around curiously.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it -- make sure yeh can see -- now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books --"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. Holly looked over at the Slytherins.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry and Holly, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips. Shannon had sealed her and Christian’s with chains. Holly and Mad were helping Neville whose hand was being eaten by his book.

"Hasn' -- hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look --"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.  _Seriously?_  Holly thought, looking down at her own book.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I -- I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Oh just shut up, Malfoy," said Holly, turning back to glare at him. Draco sneered back at her and Holly gave him a warning look. Hagrid was looking downcast and Holly wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success. If she could, she would’ve taken off the belt from her book and thrown it at Malfoy’s face but decided it wasn’t a good idea, though she did nothing to stop Shannon from trying sneak up on Malfoy so she could shove her book down his pants.

"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so -- so yeh've got yer books an'...an'...now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him --"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Holly repeated, taking a step towards him.  

"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you --"

“There’s worse behind you.” Holly pointed to the growling Christian, glaring Mad, and sinister smiling Shannon, Holly could feel the hostility fuming off them. They didn’t take to kindly to their fellow housemate insulting their friend. Malfoy quickly scurried away with his tail between his legs.

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Holly had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly, orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Holly could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.  _So beautiful._

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."

No one seemed to want to. Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously, while Mad, Shannon, and Christian ran up in excitement.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Holly had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson. If they tried to do that, she won’t think twice about throwing her book at them and sicking Mad and Shannon on them.

"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt."

"Right -- who wants ter go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.

"I'll do it," said Holly, trying to control her excitement.

“Me too, per favore.” said Mad, looking calm but was actually quite excited.

There was an intake of breath from behind her, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Holly, remember your tea leaves!"

“Holly, I don’t think you should do this…” Harry said.

Holly ignored them. She wasn’t going to lose this opportunity just because ‘death was looming over her’. Death is always around you, who knows when you’re going to die. Besides Shannon had said she might not actually die. Also when was she ever going to get a chance to interact with a Hippogriff. She climbed over the paddock fence with Mad.

"Good, Holly, Mad !" roared Hagrid. "Right then -- let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak an’ Mad yeh get Guardwing."

He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey and inkish black Hippogriffs away from its fellows, and slipped off their leather collars. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously. Holly bit her lower lip slightly, trying to stifle her squeal of excitement.  _This is going to be amazing._

“This is going to be magnifico.” whispered Mad, getting an excited nod from Holly.

"Easy now,," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink...Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."

As Holly looked into Buckbeak’s eyes, Mad doing the same with Guardwing, her own began to water a little, but she didn't shut them. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Holly with one fierce orange eye. "Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Holly…you too,Mad...now, bow."

Mad happily complied, but Holly didn't feel much like exposing the back of her neck to Buckbeak, but she did as she was told, her long red hair curtaining her face as they parted unevenly when she bowed. The hippogriff gave a short bow and then looked up.

The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at her. It didn't move. Holly bit her lower lip even more harshly.  _What’s wrong?_

"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right -- back away, now, Holly, easy does it --"

But then, to Holly’s immense surprise, whose eyes widened at the hippogriff’s next move, watched the Hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Holly!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right -- yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Feeling a little happy, Holly moved slowly toward the Hippogriff and reached out toward it. She patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. She could feel everyone looking at her intently. As if the Hippogriff would lose control and maul her to death. Holly smirked slightly. As if. Mad seemed be doing well with her Hippogriff as it had allowed her to pet its wings.

The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed. And of course, Harry, who was worried to death.

"Righ' then, Holly, Mad," said Hagrid. "I reckon they migh' let yeh ride ‘em!"

“Hagrid!” Harry gasped. Letting Holly fly on a  _Hippogriff_? Holly may be used to flying on a broomstick; but he wasn’t sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same as the former. Holly simply gave him a smile, an excited glint her in her eyes.

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..."

Holly placed her foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing carefully and hoisted herself onto its back. Buckbeak stood up. Holly wasn't sure where and how to hold on; everything in front of her was covered with feathers. She looked at Hagrid but it was too late.

"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriffs hindquarters.

Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Holly; who just had the time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before they were soaring upward. Oh it certainly wasn’t anything like a broomstick, alright, and Holly was pretty sure she now knew which one she preferred; the Hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of her, catching her under her legs and making her feel she was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under her fingers and she didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of her Nimbus Two Thousand, she now felt herself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.

“This is stupefacente!” yelled Mad as she and Guardwing caught up to Holly and Buckbeak. Holly turned to see what Mad was pointing at and her breath caught in her throat. The scene was breathtaking, she was soaring over Hogwarts through the towers.

“Hey, wanna race?” said Mad as Guardwing steered closer to Holly. Holly glanced at Buckbeak, who gave a competitive screech.

Holly smirked. “You’re on.”

Guardwing and Buckbeak flew them once around again and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Holly had been dreading; she leaned back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling she was going to slip off over the beak, then felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground. She just managed to hold on and push herself straight again. Mad fell to the ground in mock sadness, banging her fist on the ground. “I can’t comprendere how we lost! Holly, I want a rematch!”

“Nope, I’ve decided to retire while I am still undefeated.” snorted Holly. Mad put Holly in headlock giving her noogie.

“We’ll see about that, mio amica.”

"Good work, Holly, Mad!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

Emboldened by Holly and Mad’s success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Christian and Shannon’s seemed to be trying to steal Shanonn’s silk scarf (“Stop it! It will totally clash your feather tone!”). Mad was showing some of the other students how to approach Guardwing. Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, Harry watched them, waiting for his turn. Holly was still around Buckbeak before the gits came over.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Holly, who wasn’t standing that far from him, to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it...I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

“Knock it off, Malfoy!” Before she knew it Holly had ran forward, pushing Malfoy out of the way of Buckbeak’s claws. Then she felt a great pain in her lower back.

“Holly!?” screamed Harry, in fright.

“Woah there boy! Back ya go, Buckbeak!” said Hagrid as wrestled Buckbeak back into his collar.

Holly had fallen face first into the dirt beside Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over her robes. She weakly propped herself, glaring at the surprised and confused Malfoy.

“Why’d you-”

“You idiot!?! Be careful?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! You’re life is worth more than that, dummy?!” shouted Holly, she could feel the tears sting her eyes, Hagrid was right when he said those claws hurt. Hagrid rushed over kneeling down beside her, Harry and her friends following quickly behind.

“A-are you alright?” Hagrid asked frantically, not sure what to do. She tried to stand up but she had a hard time feeling anything below the searing pain in her back. “Can ye walk?”

“We need to get her to the infirmary?!” yelled Harry, losing it at the sight of his sister’s blood.

“That’s probably the right thing to do.” Holly croaked, vision going blurry from trying to keep back the tears.

“Holly’s dying!? The tea leaves were right?!” screamed Lavender and Parvati, as they watched with the rest of their frightened classmates.

“I’m not dying. It just hurts….a lot.”

"’Course, yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me -- gotta get her outta here --"

“Thanks, Hagrid.” Holly mumbled under her breath as Hagrid dismissed the class and took to Madame Pomfrey, leaving Draco on the ground. Hermione and Mad lecturing her on how stupid that move was, Harry wouldn’t stop clutching her hand, and Shannon was trying to tell Hagrid to stop applying so much pressure to her wound before he broke Holly’s spine with his strength.

Of course, Madam Pomfrey was able mend her cut in about a second, but not without giving Holly a stern talking to about being more careful and such saying how she practically lived in the infirmary. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to wear bandages around her waist just in case her wounds opened again. Just as they left, Draco came in a little bit later screaming about how he was dying and his shoulder was broken. They didn’t stay too long, not wanting to listen to his whining.

They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.

"They wouldn't fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.

"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either. “I don’t understand why you help-” Harry gave Ron a look, he wasn’t sure Holly wanted to hear that.

Holly, on the other hand, was watching, or well, glaring the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. Holly was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Holly sicked her wild Hippogriff on him and Malfoy had been injured saving her after it turned on her. Her eyes darkened.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.

“Yeah, as interesting as a fucking root canal.” sighed Shannon, tempted to feed Crabbe and Goyle a potion she made that would give them painful boils and screaming nightmares.

They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner. Holly was practically tackled by the Weasley Twins that asked about her accident with Buckbeak and said how she should’ve let Draco get hit. Then gave her some cream that was supposed to help with her scars, she beat them back when they tried to look at her wound. They tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all seven of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.

"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Harry said suddenly. Holly looked up.

Ron looked at his watch.

"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early..."

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Holly saw her glance at her.

"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," she said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors yet, has he?"

“Nope, besides you got some of the strongest students with you~” chimed Shannon, as she, Mad, and Christian flexed and posed.

So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.

The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."

Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.

"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognized them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

“Don’t just assume it!” said Shannon.

"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But's only a matter o' time, I'n't, after Holly...then Malfoy…"

"C’mon, Hagrid." said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't that serious."

“Si, Holly is just fine.” Mad gestured to the perfectly fine Holly.

"But Malfoy…Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony...covered in bandages...moanin'..."

"He's faking it," said Holly at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year and fixed me up instantly. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later...one flobberworms or summat...Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson's all my fault..."

"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.

“Si, Si. I bet mio padre would understand if you tell him.” added Mad.

"Yeah, we're witnesses," said Harry. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed Holly, Harry, Mad and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. Shannon and her took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.

"Ah, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Holly, Harry and Ron, who staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione and Shannon unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.

"What have they done?" said Harry nervously as the girls came back in with the empty tankard.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.

“Easiest way to wake him up, same thing I use on my Aunts at family gatherings.” added Shannon, sitting back down.

Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"That's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really --"

Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Holly as though he'd only just realized he was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HOLLY! AN, YOU SIX! LETTIN' HER!"

Hagrid strode over to Holly, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to the door.

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that! Gotta ‘member to stay safe!"


	78. Bk 3: Ch15

Holly silently walked through the corridors in her invisibility cloak. She was going to meet Mad up at the Astronomy Tower. It must have been important if Mad had discreetly asked her too. Maybe Mad knew how worried Holly was, her friend was unusually perceptive.

When she got there she found a Mad there, sitting calmly in a large circle of candles. In flash, using her enhanced vampire speed, Mad was standing in front of Holly; her bright red eyes shining staring contently at Holly. She took Holly’s hand leading her to the center on the candle circle. Mad calmly sat down, crossing her legs.

“Why am I here?” asked Holly, standing in front of her friend.

“Because you’re drowning in a sea of negativo emozioni and I’m here to assistenza you in dealing with them.” said Mad, sitting calm and composed with her closed in reflection.

Holly was red in embarrassment and frustration; she didn’t want talk about it anymore. She didn’t need anyone’s help. She was perfectly capable with dealing them by herself, like she always has.

“I know you don’t want to parlare about it, but you can’t deal with on your own, Holly. If you don’t affrontare your inner demoni than things will only get worse. Just give what I’m trying to do chance.”

Holly stared at the girl, mentally debating on whether or not she should leave. After some deep consideration Holly had decided she had enough of feeling horrible and thought it wouldn’t hurt to give Mad’s method a chance.

“Fine.” Holly sat down, mimicking Mad’s posture. Mad opened her eyes, giving her friend a small smile.

“For magic to work right a wizard’s mente needs to be balanced. A mentale imbalance can cause your magic to go awry and have the user lose touch with realtà…”

Holly remembered the nightmares that she’d been having.

“…like see or hear things that aren’t there…”

Holly thought about how she heard the woman’s screaming on the train and the Grim in the ally.

“…and eventually fall apart.”

Holly shuddered as her near death experiences flashed through her mind.

“So that is to say, if you’re mente is falling apart you body will as well. To find balance you must comprendere your feelings. To comprendere your feelings you must see them clearly without running from them.”

“See them clearly?”

“I’ll show but first we’ll need to shine some light on this situazione.” said Mad and with a snap of her fingers and candles around them lit up. Mad took Holly’s hands into her grasp.

“Close your eyes.” Mad serenely whispered. Holly did as instructed.

“Breathe.” Holly took a deep calming breath.

“Here in darkness everything’s okay. Listen to the nighttime sounds and let them fade away.” Holly let herself be bathed in tranquility, her heartbeat slowing and her tension unwinding. “Here comes a thought.”

 _Mad:_ _Take a moment to think of just_  
Flexibility, love, and trust   
Take a moment to think of just   
Flexibility, love, and trust

A flame appeared in the palms of Mad’s hand. As Mad and Holly gazed into left hand flame they saw scene play that Holly had recognized. It was Mad and Becca fighting, they started as kids and it continued all the up to the events last year.

 _Here comes a thought_   
_That might alarm you_   
_What someone said_   
_And how it harmed you_

 _Something you did_  
That failed to be charming   
Things that you said are   
Suddenly swarming

The flame ignited almost engulfing the two girls if they didn’t pull back in time. Holly was shielded her eyes, but stopped when she realized that she wasn’t being burned. Soon the small light was a blazing spiral that was reaching towards the sky.

 _And, oh, you're losing sight, you're losing touch_  
All these little things seem to matter so much   
That they confuse you   
That I might lose you

The flame flashing with the hateful glares and cold stares of Becca, finally stopping on the image of Becca’s petrified form. Mad looked sad, before smiling as she continued to sing.

 _Take a moment, remind yourself to  
Take a moment and find yourself   
__Take a moment to ask yourself if_  
This is how we fall apart  

Mad closed the base of the flame within her hand, opening to reveal the small fire from before.

 _But it's not, but it's not, but it's not, but it's not, but it's not_  
It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay   
You've got nothing, got nothing, got nothing, got nothing to fear   
I'm here, I'm here, I'm here 

Then Mad quickly blew it out, the embers rose to the sky taking on the shape of the two sisters hugging before spiraling into the sky in a firework display. Holly looked on in wonder before noticing the flames that were orbiting her.

 _Holly: Here comes a thought_  
That might alarm me   
What someone said   
And how it harmed me  

Holly looked at the circling flames seeing all the things she didn’t want to acknowledge: her nightmares, blowing up her aunt, the Dementor on the train, Trelawny’s tea leaf reading, Draco’s teasing, Buckbeak’s attack. Even Tom Riddle’s threat to her in the Chamber of Secrets and their confrontation of Quirrel.

 _Something I did_  
That failed to be charming   
Things that I said are   
Suddenly swarming

The flames burst around her, engulfing her in a pillar of flames. Holly stood up in panic as she was engulfed the blaze, not being able to see Mad, her worst images being played wherever she turned.

 _And, oh, I'm losing sight, I'm losing touch_  
All these little things seem to matter so much   
That they confuse me T  
That I might lose me  

Holly fell to her knees and curled up into a ball. She clutched her head trying to ignore the painful memories burning around her. She could feel the tears streaming down her face. She didn’t want to face them.

 _‘Holly…’_ she heard a voice speak from inside her head. _‘You’re not alone, Holly. You have people that love you. People that are here for you. Think of them, mio amica.’_

Holly took a deep breath, thinking of the one she loved the most: her brother. How he loved her. How he always worrying about her wellbeing. How she would play with his hair when she got bored. How they would grab each others’ hands whenever they got scared.

Holly eyes shot open when she felt the familiar hand touch hers. She looked to see her brother calmly smiling at her, as if memory pillars weren’t happening around her.

 _Holly: Take a moment, remind yourself to  
_ _Take a moment and find yourself_  
Take a moment and ask yourself if   
This is how we fall apart

She stood up and looked at the fire recollections, gulping. Harry squeezed her hand as he stood by her side. Holly suddenly found herself with newfound strength, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves a bit and remembering Mad’s words.

 _But it's not, but it's not, but it's not, but it's not, but it's not_  
It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay   
I've got nothing, got nothing, got nothing, got nothing to fear   
I'm here, I'm here, I'm here

The fire pillars shot up to the sky like comets, turning into colorful fireworks that would put Fred and George’s to shame. She turned to see the look on Harry’s face but turned to only see him gone. When she turned back there was Mad standing in front of her, looking the same as the last time she saw her. For a moment she saw Harry, Hermione, Ron, Shannon, Christian, Fred and George, and all her other friends standing behind Mad, only to blink and see nothing.

 _Both: And it was just a thought, just a thought, just a thought, just a thought, just a thought_  
It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay   
We can watch, we can watch, we can watch, we can watch them go by   
From here, from here, from here  

Mad and Holly laid there watching the fireworks paint the gray sky in a rainbow of beautiful color.

 _Holly: Take a moment to think of just_  
Flexibility, love, and trust   
Take a moment to think of just   
Flexibility, love, and trust

Back in the real world, the candle were all melted the flames were gone. Mad rubbed Holly’s head as she slept peacefully in her lap, her eyes and hands drifted down to the girl’s neck.  A figure appeared in the shadows, eyes and beard twinkling in the moonlight.

“Thirsty, are we, Miss Nocturna?”

“Forse un po ’. Nothing a blood lollipop won’t fix.” said Mad, pulling out the candy from her robe.

“How is she?”

Mad glared at the man from the corner of her eye. “She’s buono. She needed to get some rest. I’ll take her back.”

The Slytherin picked up the sleeping girl carrying her back to the Gryffindor dorm. That night Holly got the best sleep she had in months.

\------

Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon; his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle. Holly rolled her eyes at the blonde boy and looked away. Apparently when Holly had pushed him, he landed on a rock which he said nearly went through his arm.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson, sparing a glare towards Holly, who stuck her tongue out at the girl while making sure Shannon didn’t hex her housemate. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Holly, who was nudged by Ron when Pansy was glaring at her, saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away. Holly glared at him. Malfoy noticed and glared back.

"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.

Harry and Ron scowled; Snape wouldn't have said 'settle down' if they'd walked in late, he'd have given them detention. But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes. Holly let out a sigh, making an annoyed expression. She liked Potions, but the Slytherins (the bad ones) made her not look forward to it.

They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table. Holly and Mad looked over at him. Harry pushed her behind him, having her stand at the other end of the table.

"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm --"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.

Ron went brick red.

"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy.

Malfoy smirked across the table. Holly wanted to hit him with her cauldron.

"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."

Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes.

"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."

Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, and then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.

"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."

"But, sir --!"

Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.

"Now," said Snape in his most dangerous voice.

Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, and then took up the knife again.

"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.

"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for her brother.

Harry angrily took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. He skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he was able to and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever. Holly glared at the Slytherin.

"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.

"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.

"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury --"

“An injury that could’ve been worse.” said Shannon as she pointed to Holly’s lower back and bandages that were underneath her shirt.

"Yeah, keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.

"… he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" -- he gave a huge, fake sigh -- "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"

"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger, "To try to get Hagrid fired."

"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "partly, Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."

“When I saved you then I thought maybe you’d learn something from it,” Holly grimaced, causing the tips of Malfoy’s ears to turn red. “But I guess I was wrong. That doesn't means that I would hesitate hexing you to oblivion.”

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Ron and Harry stifled their chuckles as Holly grabbed the last bits of Malfoy’s caterpillar from Ron and threw it at the blonde, hitting him right on his forehead. He opened his mouth to call Snape but Holly, Shannon, and Mad gave him a warning look as if daring him to utter a single word to Snape. Malfoy closed his mouth quickly. The girls smirked.  

A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned –

"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.

"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right --"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear. Holly glared at their potions teacher. That was really uncalled of.

"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.

"Hey, Harry, Holly," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning -- they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly, Holly’s head snapped up when she heard Black’s name. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.

"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

"Not too far from here ..." Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry.

“If he’s smart he’ll stay away or he’ll have to deal with…those things.” said Shannon, not wanting to even mention the Dementors.

They turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"

But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on Harry and Holly, more specifically on the latter. He leaned across the table.

"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"

"Yeah, that's right," said Holly offhandedly, looking back down. Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.

"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good girl; I'd be out there looking for him."

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.

"Don't you know, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.

"Know what?"

Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh.

"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."

"What are you talking about?" said Harry angrily. He didn’t like the attention Malfoy was giving Holly.

Holly looked up anger boiling. “Do you want me to punch your teeth in?” She asked, calmly. A reddened Malfoy went to reply this time but just at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's..."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see. Harry and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner. Holly quickly packed her things away as well and after giving Malfoy a look, went after her brother and their friend.

"What did Malfoy mean?" Harry muttered to Ron as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth "Why would Holly (He noticed Holly standing behind them, listening as well) want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to her or me -- yet."

"He's making it up," said Ron savagely. "He's trying to make you do something stupid..." He looked at Holly, who shrugged. “I still think you shouldn’t have pushed him out of Buckbeak’s reach,”

“Probably,” Holly muttered, washing her hands.

“He didn’t even thank you for saving him.” said Mad.

The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.

There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.

The Gryffindors along with Mad, Shannon, and Christian burst into applause. Holly smirked at Malfoy. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

Mad, Shannon, Christian, Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall. Holly walked in front of them. Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, while Ron was seething about Snape.

"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!"

Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around.

"Where is she? And where’s Mad?”

The others turned too. Holly stopped as well. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch.

"They were right behind us," said Ron, frowning.

Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Holly and disappeared.

"There they are," said Harry. Holly looked back down.

Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes. Mad walking normally behind her.

"How did you do that?" said Ron.

"What?" said Hermione and Mad, joining them.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh -- I had to go back for something. Oh no --"

A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Harry wasn't surprised; he could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.

“Fuck, Hermione. You’re going to get back problems from carrying all these fucking books.” commented Shannon as she made Christian pick them up as she fixed Hermione’s bag.

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"

"But --" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. "I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.

“Si, I’m so hungry I could eat a troll.”

"D'you get the feeling they’re not telling us something?" Ron asked them.

Holly shrugged. “It’s probably nothing.”

Shannon chuckled. “When has it ever been nothing with us?”


	79. Bk 3: Ch16

When the group of four arrived to their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, Professor Lupin wasn't there. So instead, they all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. Holly couldn’t believe it, a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class? This was going to be amazing! And she trusted Professor Lupin not to be like the idiot they had last year, who had brought a cage-full of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in mid-air and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin --"

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."

Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.

Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing. Holly laughed. She needs to remember that one!! 

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville went scarlet. While Harry glared at Snape, Holly pulled Neville away from Snape’s sight; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."

Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks -- I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice."

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Holly?"

"There are many of us present here; the Dementor won’t know what shape it should take,”

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Holly smiled. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake -- tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

'The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please...riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows. Holly gave him a thumbs up.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, and then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape." Holly sighed.

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape...hmmm...Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er -- yes," said Neville nervously. "But -- I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well...always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress...green, normally...and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand -- thus -- and cry "Riddikulus" -- and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."

The room went quiet. Holly went to think...What scared her most in the whole entire world? Ever since meditation session with Mad, she felt like she could take on anything life had to throw at her. 

Her first thought was, of course, Lord Voldemort -- a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before she had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of her mind....

A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak...a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth...then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning...

Holly shivered, and then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Holly was sure she knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders. Harry, on the other hand, looked pretty anxious as well.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.

Holly looked at Harry, feeling a lurch of fear. She wasn’t ready for this. She wasn’t sure what it would turn into, Voldemort? Harry dead? A Dementor? How could you make a Dementor less frightening? Wasn’t it supposed to be the embodiment of fear? How can you make the embodiment of fear not scary? Was it even possible? But she didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward...Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot --"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One -- two -- three -- now!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"R -- r -- riddikulus!” squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a blood-stained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising --

"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.

Seamus darted past Parvati.

Crack!

Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face -- a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on the back of Holly’s neck stand on end -- "Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

Crack!

The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then -- crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before -- crack! -- becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Dean hurried forward.

Crack!

The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron leapt forward.

Crack!

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Holly thought Ron had frozen and opened her mouth to say something but --

"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry’s feet. He raised his wand, ready, but froze when he saw just what was in front of him. And so did the other students.

The Boggart had taken a form of a dead Holly, her eyes wide and mouth open in fear. Harry’s eyes widened and tried to use the spell but nothing came out. Holly, who herself was very shocked, just froze.

Crack!

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward.

Crack!

Holly’s dead body had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, "Riddikulus!" almost lazily.

Crack!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach.

Crack!

Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.

"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone...Let me see...five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart -- ten for Neville because he did it twice...and five each to Hermione and Holly."

"But I didn't do anything," said Holly. Harry didn’t speak for his turn. He was too stunned, and trying his best to take the image of Holly dying out of his mind. He shuddered slightly.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Holly," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me...to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Neither of the Potters, however, was feeling cheerful. While Harry tried to calm himself down, Holly wondered why Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped her from tackling the Boggart. Why? Was it because he'd seen her collapse on the train, and thought she wasn't up to much? Had he thought Holly would pass out again? Did he think she would see Harry’s body? How did he know it was going to be a Dementor?

But no one else seemed to have noticed anything. And unlike Harry, they seemed to have forgotten what his Boggart looked like.

"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.

"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.

"And Snape in that hat!"

"And my mummy!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart --"

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

Hermione gave him a look. Holly looked at her brother and suddenly remembered what had happened. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a smile.

"It's okay, Harry. I’m fine."


	80. Bk 3: Ch17

In no time at all, Defense Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favorite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.

"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house elf."

Even though that made Holly want to punch him, she was glad that no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy. Water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

Holly wished that the other classes were just as nice as Defense Against the Dark Arts. Other may have been a difficult for her, but Potions was the worst. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes had travelled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever. Holly liked potions, but now she felt like doing badly in the class on purpose. She didn’t feel much about potions anymore. She wanted to learn DADA.

To make it worse, Holly, who was previously very excited about Divination class, now dreaded the whole while she was in Professor’s Trelawney’s tower room, deciphering lopsided shapes and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at the redheaded girl. She couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though the Divination Professor was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunch times, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Holly, as though she were on her deathbed.

It may have annoyed Holly, but she didn’t like how this all was affecting Harry. Of course, whatever she heard, found its way around Harry as well. And Harry, after seeing his sister’s body in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, had started taking these things to heart. Obviously, he hardly left her alone, or made sure she had someone with her. He wouldn’t have minded The Grim thing but after seeing her like what was what triggered this side of him.

On the other hand, nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobberworms' throats.

At the start of October, however, they had something else to occupy them, something so enjoyable it more than made up for their unsatisfactory classes. The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.

Oliver Wood was now a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.

"This is our last chance -- my last chance -- to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it."

"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world -- injuries -- then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best -- ruddy -- team -- in -- the -- school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. "We've got three superb Chasers."

Wood pointed at Harry, Angelina, and Katie.

"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."

"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.

"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Holly with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.

"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.

"Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.

"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Holly joined the team as a seeker, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."

Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.

"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.

"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.

"Definitely," said Holly and Harry together.

Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish Holly’s wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup. Finally.

Holly and Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy. Mad, Shannon, and Christian working on their Charms homework.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed the Potter twins through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

Holly groaned and practically threw herself into a chair, her high spirits ebbing away. Her girl friends seemed to read her mind.

"Holly, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," Hermione said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

“Yeah, he’d be a total dumbass to try anything.” Shannon said.

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Holly. The next one might not be for ages --"

"Ron!" said Hermione. "Holly’s supposed to stay in school --"

"She and Harry can't be the only third years left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall; go on, you two --"

"Yeah, I think we will," said Holly, making up her mind. Harry had a straight face.

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.

Shannon quickly put on her pink medical mask, not wanting another sneezing fit. “Keep him away from me; I don’t need allergies ruining my makeup.”

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.

"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.

Crookshanks; slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.

"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."

“Same goes for me, Hermione. I can’t stand those furry little monstri.” said Mad, taking them by surprise. If anyone ever seemed like a cat person it would be Mad.

Harry yawned. Watching him, Holly yawned as well, laughing slightly, she really wanted to go to bed though. Harry, on the other hand, still had to complete his chart. He pulled his bag toward him, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started work.

"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labeling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry.

Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced.

"OI!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. Holly jumped up, hurrying over to get Crookshanks away from Ron’s bag.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top --

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers. Holly let out a shout and ran after the ginger cat.

“Come here, boy!”

George made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed, colliding with Holly who let out a groan, trying to push him off her; Shannon had jumped on Christian’s shoulders in avoidance; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.

Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.

"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think --"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!"

Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

Holly, who had stopped struggling under the great knucklehead over her, crossed her arms, glaring at the redhead, who smirked at her.

“Hello~”

“Would you get off me already?!” she said, red in the face and heart beating rapidly in her chest.

Mad and Shannon was laughing at the scene.

“Better do as she says mio amico, unless you want to face suo fratello.”

“Who looks like he’s about to lose his shit~”

George looked at Harry and saw his glaring disproval and hurried off the green eyed boy’s sister. The redheaded Weasley offered her a hand and Holly smirked, accepting it, ignoring the blush on her face. “So, are you going to Hogsmeade?” George asked. Holly looked at her brother, who was working on his chart with Hermione (who now held Crookshanks) and shrugged.

“I don’t think so,” said Holly. “Especially with Black still out, I don’t think Harry and Hermione would let me,”

“I can understand that,”

“I really want to go though, especially after everything you and Fred told me,” whined Holly. George smiled at her.

Before Holly and Harry could go check on Ron, Lavander whisked her and Mad to sit with a group of girls, Parvati grabbing Hermione and Shannon.

“Isn’t Professor Lupin handsome?” squealed Lavender.

The girls nodded dreamily, Holly noticed nearly every Gryffindor girl in their year had come to join in, the boys not even bothering to listen to the conversation.

“I can hardly believe it,” said Katie Bell. “Someone who knows what they’re doing with the looks to match.”

Every girl nodded in approval of these words, except Holly. Lavender quickly noticed.

“Come on, Holly don’t try to deny it! He is the handsomest teacher we’ve ever had!”she said. “Hermione you agree right?”

Lavender turned to the blushing Hermione.

“He is rather nice…” said Hermione, shyly.

Shannon scoffed. “Honey, he is a lot more than nice~”

The girls turned to the Slytherin with raised brows, practically the whole school knew of Shannon’s sexual orientation (“Not like it was a secret”), and some girls even having firsthand experience with the perverted redhead.

“What? I respect hotness regardless of gender. Besides he does seem like the kind of guy to be a fucking beast-” Mad covered Shannon’s mouth before she could finish her statement, some girls in the group blushing.

“Holly, what do think of Professore Lupin?” said Mad quickly, not wanting anyone to bring up her crush Snape. Every girl looked as Holly waiting for her answer.

“Sorry guys,” said Holly “I’m not interested in any of this.”

“Oh Holly don’t go all _boy_ on us now!” said Parvati.

“Why do people keep saying that?!” spat Holly. “There’s just something about him…something familiar…I dunno. Besides he’s just not my type.”

“Then what is your type?” asked Lavender, the other girls wondering the same with some boys listening in.

“Nothing!”

“So you’re okay with anyone?”

“No- I meant that- I’m not interested in-” Holly stammered, obviously not wanting to talk about any of this.

“Holly,” said Angelina. “From one teammate to another you can’t lie to us! It’s against the girl code.”

“Fine, if I tell you the type of guy I like will you leave me alone?”

The girls nodded, leaning closer in. They were all curious to find out what the tomboyish Holly that never even tried to catch the attention of a boy let alone express interest in dating one.

Holly took a deep breath, hair turning pink. “Someone who’s smart, the kind of person I can talk to about stuff and get an intelligent reply back. It’d be nice if they were open minded and liked Quidditch too. He’d need to be funny, but also caring and not afraid to get into trouble from time to time. I’d also like him to be creative and positive, I don’t like downers. There you have it. Are you girls happy now?”

She pouted when the girls laughed, to see Shannon, Mad, Hermione, and Ginny giggling at this made her more embarrassed. A couple of the boys listening in were taking notes.

“What’s so funny?!”

“Nothing, My Prince, it’s just such…a fucking normal response.” Shannon dissolved into a fit of giggles. “What about _physical_ attributes?”

“I prefer blondes.”

Holly turned around at the sudden thumps. Fred and George had fallen out of their seats.

The girls kept giggling; Holly already deeply regretted telling them. She bolted up the stairs to the boy’s dormitory hoping Dean, Seamus, Ron, Harry, and Neville could wash the girly stuff from her mind with a belching contest or pillow fight.

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Holly, Harry, and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

They had Transfiguration next. Holly, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether she and Harry could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the line outside the class trying to decide how she was going to argue their case. She was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Holly, Harry, and Ron went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"Er --"

"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Harry looked at Holly, alarmed. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You -- you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"

"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then --

"Was Binky an old rabbit?"

"N -- no!" sobbed Lavender. "H -- he was only a baby!"

Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.

"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.

Parvati glared at her. Even Holly had to mentally admit that now wasn’t the best time for Hermione to be inquisitive.

"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today --" Lavender wailed loudly. "… and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock --"

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, Hermione sat with Holly and Ron retreated next to Harry and the two didn't talk to each other for the whole class.

Holly, who still hadn't decided what she was going to say to Professor McGonagall, was startled when the bell rang at the end of the lesson, but it was Professor McGonagall who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first.

"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No forms, no visiting the village, so don’t forget!"

Neville put up his hand.

"Please, Professor, I -- I think I've lost --"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Ron hissed at Holly and Harry.

"Oh. But --" Hermione began, trying to stop Holly.

"Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly.

Holly, along with Harry, waited for the rest of the class to disappear, and then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk. Harry was still reluctant about this.

"Yes, Ms Potter?" Holly took a deep breath.

"Professor, our aunt and uncle -- er -- forgot to sign our forms," she said, sheepishly.

Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at her and Harry (who stood a little back) but didn't say anything.

"So -- er -- d'you think it would be all right mean, will it be okay if we -- if we go to Hogsmeade?"

Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk.

"I'm afraid not, Ms Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule."

"But -- Professor, our aunt and uncle -- you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about -- about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Holly said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go --"

"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm sorry, Ms Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."

Holly turned around, dejectedly. She looked at Harry, who gave her a sad look. “On the other hand, Mr Potter, I need to talk to you,” said Professor McGonagall.

 The three of them waited outside Professor McGonagall’s classroom. But it only took a few moments before Harry came out, looking a little unsure. But happy as well. Holly furrowed her eyebrows, exchanging confused looks with her two friends. And when they questioned Harry about what had happened, he said it simply. Professor Lupin, Professor R.J Lupin was Harry’s godfather. Harry’s godfather!

Holly was astonished. If he was Harry’s godfather, what about hers? Was he hers as well? Why did they come to know that so suddenly? Do they have a godmother? If Professor Lupin wasn’t her godfather, he would at least know who was, right? Holly’s thoughts raced. And if Professor Lupin was so sure about the danger that she and Harry was in, why would he allow Harry to go on Hogsmeade trips and not her?! Do they not realize just how unfair that was?

On Holly’s case, there was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Holly had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade. She was furious but tried to control herself. How can they only allow Harry?!

"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Holly up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."

Holly didn’t reply. She was afraid that she might say something that she would regret. It seemed like Harry felt worse than Holly but the latter was too angry and had hurried off to the dormitories in anger without waiting for them after class and didn’t reply to any of them.

The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if she was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made her feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as they had already told Professor McGonagall she hadn't had it signed, that was no good. Ron half-heartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Holly, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Holly, apart from that, you're not missing anything."

Holly simply shook it off. She was still trying to calm herself. Even though she had tried to look a little on the brighter side, it still felt unfair. Obviously, Harry didn’t like how it was affecting Holly and tried to refuse the chance to go to Hogsmeade. Holly didn’t want that. What is she going to do now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting last week, I started my classes again. Anyway I've been wanting to elaborate on my supporting OCs, so I'm taking to vote. Comment to vote on these choices and I'll write a chapter on the winning choice:  
> 1\. How Mad & Shannon first met  
> 2\. Shannon & Christian's childhood  
> 3\. How Becca & Mad's parents got together  
> 4\. Becca & Mad's childhood


	81. Bk 3: Ch18

Hermione, Harry, Holly and Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room finishing their Herbology homework. As the Hogsmeade weekend approached Holly felt worse about not being able to, but instead of just moping about it she decided to throw herself into her school work (except Divination). They were also waiting for Shannon, who insisted on showing them something amazing.

The door to the common room flew open as Shannon, Christian, and Mad stepped in. Christian was carrying some square object that was covered in a sheet. He plopped it down right on the Gryffindors’ homework.

“Hey, I wasn’t finished yet.” said Ron.

“You can finish it later, Ron~ This is way more interesting~” Shannon snapped her fingers, Christian handed her the covered item and got her a chair to stand on.

“Gather round ye Gryffindors!” bellowed Shannon, catching the attention of the entire common room. “For you all are about to see perhaps the most disturbing creature in the Wizarding World! It’ll open a dark window into your soul the likes you’ve never seen! The weak of heart should stand back!”

Holly, Harry, Hermione, and Ron stared at the sheet curious and nervous of what kind of creature it could be. Lavender and Parvati had their eyes covered, dreading what could possibly be hidden underneath. Fred, George, and Lee Jordan had pushed their way to the small crowd.

“Behold!” Shannon pulled the sheet off, revealing something that looked like a giant pink wad of chewed gum on a log. “The Insult Slug!”

Holly raised a brow, sharing a look with her friends. All four thinking that there is no way that a slug could be most disturbing thing in the Wizarding World, not even most disturbing thing in the common room. Fred, George, and Lee slumped in disenchantment.

“Shannon, we appreciate what you’re –” said Holly.

“SHHHHHHHHH~~~” Shannon slapped a hand over her mouth. “Wait for it~”

The slug turned its pink scrunched up little face to Harry, who was trying to get his Herbology essay from under the tank.

“Nice haircut. Was it a dare?” insulted the slug. Shannon burst into laughter, Holly, Hermione and Ron looked at it in shock. “If isn’t the famous Harry Potter. I like you’re glasses they really help to cover up that road accident you call a face.”

“This little fucker is hilarious! I got him after he made an entire group of trolls cry!” said Shannon.

“What are you laughing about? Hey if you really want a good laugh look at yourself in the mirror.”

“Oooooooohhhhhh~” Shannon laughed harder.

“Hey look a vampire, there’s no blood but you still succeed in sucking the fun out of the room.”

Mad held her laughter in.

“Careful with what you say don’t want to _slug_ it out with anyone.” said Christian.

The slug scoffed. “That joke was so bad that if I’d had to choose between killing myself or listening to your stand up routine then somebody hand me some salt.”

The slug looked at Fred and George who had their faces pressed up against tanks glass making faces at the creature.

“Look at these two. I’d ask which one’s the ugly one, but looks like it’s both of them.”

Ron snorted.

“Oh, now he laughs, a little slow this clown and that’s coming from a slug. I’ll tell ya if had a spine I’d beat ya to a pulp.”

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Shannon fell off her chair.

“Alright, that’s enough.” said Hermione.

“Hello Lady~”

“Say one word about my hair and I’ll get the salt shaker.”

Shannon smirked. “Say it, say it, say it.”

“Okay, let’s calm down.” said Holly, as she covered the slug’s tank up in the sheet again, getting a whine from Shannon.

“Awwwww~ but it was just getting good.”

“Quiet you.” said Mad. “Shannon’s mean pet aside…”

“His name is Pubert~”

“Dumbledore has asked us coordinare with the Hogwarts fantasmi…the ghosts for a Halloween performance.” Mad got a glint of anticipation in her eyes, that she only get when an opportunity to perform arrived. “New year means whole new group of potenziale fans! This is also our first performance of the year so we have to make it memorabile!”

“Manager Mad’s getting fired up.” chuckled Harry.

“It’s not just Mad!” shouted Shannon, face burning with excitement. “Halloween is my favorite time of year! All the ghastly ghostly gruesome inspiration on the night where the thin veil between life and death rips! The beautiful girls dressed in even more beautiful (and sexy) costumes. A night where you could be anyone or anything and get free candy for it! Then the fun celebrating Dia de Muertos the next day! Yes, Halloween a holiday where anarchy rates are high and morals are low. A time for binge eating, drinking and fu-KAH!”

“That’s enough already.” said Holly, hand still clutching the book that she used to hit Shannon over the head with. She did not want Harry or Hermione to hear anymore of this and taint their innocent minds (Ron was just fine).

Mad straightened herself out. “Right, back to the point we need to start practicante. The rest of the band is waiting. Dumbledore was kind enough to give us an empty classe to work in for the time being. We decided to go with _that_ song, which means…”

Holly knew where this was going and before she could make a run for it, Mad snapped her fingers. Shannon pulled out a rope from her robe, she and Christian pouncing on the redheaded Gryffindor.

“Hey?! – Wait?! – Stop!? – Watch where you’re touching?!” Holly quickly found herself tied up and slung up over Christian’s shoulder. She saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione trying to stifle their laughter. “This isn’t funny?!”

“R-right, of course it isn’t.” chuckled Harry as Ron broke into laughter.

“Anyway, we’ll bring her back at dinner.” said Mad. As Christian, still carrying Holly, followed Shannon, carrying her pet, and Mad out the door. Holly was struggling and yelling in protest to release her.

“Have fun, sis.”

Holly hated what was happening to her right now. Out all the things she faced in her life so far this had to the most horrible, evil, dreadful, painful, appalling–

“OW!”

“Holly, I told you not to move or you’re going to get pinned.” said Shannon as she worked on tailoring Holly’s costume.

“Why am I a vampire again? Isn’t this more suited to mad or Becca?” asked Holly trying not to focus on the pins that Shannon was putting dangerously close to her flesh.

“We’re not as single minded as you to assume just because we’re of the vampiric race that we dress as vampires for Halloween.” argued Becca as she helped Abby get untangled from her mummy costume.

“Becca, what did we say about using your words?” said Mad, as she futilely tried to see if the short blonde wig of her Scarecrow was straight in the mirror.

“That I should consider other people’s feeling before I insult them.” said Becca with a roll her eyes.

“Don’t let her get to you, darling. Becca here is all bark and no bite.” Cassie said sweetly in her New Orleans drawl, trying to fix her Dark Fairy wings. “She was so excited about being Cursed Doll for Halloween.”

“Okay, so why are Mad and I crossdressing?”

“Because you said no to the beautiful sexy devil costume I slaved away to make for you, so now I have to alter Mad’s old Victorian aristocrat costume to fit you…” said Shannon as poked Holly’s bum with a pin. “…and Mad just happens to like crossdressing.”

“Si, I do. Also that I asked around and apparentemente a lot of ragazze (and some ragazzi) want to see you as a boy.”

“Well more than usual that is.” added Becca. She quickly dodged a book and a barrage of needles, staring fearfully at the two glaring redheads.

“Don’t call me boy!”

“Don’t call My Prince a nasty, dirty boy!”

“….Okay.”

When Shannon finally finished with Holly’s costume (“Thank Merlin.” said Holly), they had to practice the song. After that they made their way to the Great hall for dinner, all of the girls hungry from playing.

“Isn’t it kinda sudden for Mr Dumbledore to ask us to perform so close to Halloween?” asked Abby, happy to be back in her usual paint stained Ravenclaw uniform.

“It’s true, usually he gives us more time to prepare.” said Cassie.

“Isn’t it obvious? Because of them.” retorted Becca, pointing out the window. The girls looked out to see a Dementor hovering a few meters away, quickly hiding when its hooded head turned in the direction.

“The Headmaster needs our help to distract the student body from his grievous faux pas.” informed Becca.

Mad stepped in, before Becca said anything more. “Becca is somewhat correggere; Dumbledore probabilmente asked us to perform, but for the greater good. The Dissennatori being here is bad, especially with the effect they have on people. He needs something to keep spirits up while they’re here. Light to cast to out the shadows kind of thing.”

“And Dumbledore thinks our music is that exact thing?” asked Holly, not believing it.

“Hey, don’t take the power of music lightly, Holly.” said Shannon. “It can make you happy, sad, angry, and more. Music has a profound effect on a person’s mind, spirit, and behavior. It has the power to touch us emotionally, where words can’t.  It’s the universal language of mankind after all.”

“Yeah, but seeing that in our music is a little…” Shannon hushed her.

“Face it, girl. People find solace in our music, be proud of it. That’s one of the most important things a musician can ask for.”

On Halloween morning, Holly was the last person to go down to breakfast, feeling depressed and tired, though she did try her best to act normal. She found Hermione, Harry and Ron and dropped into a seat next to them, looking at them. She didn’t eat anything though.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for her best friend.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of the redheaded girl’s difficulties.

“I’ll make sure to take plenty pictures for you. It’ll be like you were actually fucking there.” said Shannon holding the camera she brought this year. She originally got to take pictures of Harry and Holly so she could sell them and for her scrapbook. “I’m going to take pictures anyway, because I’m working on a location themed fashion line.”

“We’ll be back later to get ready for our performance.” said Mad.

"Don't worry about me," said Holly, "I'll see you guys later. Have a good time."

“Actually, I think I would pass this chance,” said Harry, looking at his sister. Holly gave him an alarmed look.

“No, no, no, don’t even think about doing that, Harry.” said Holly, backing up the conversation. “You’re going Hogsmeade and you are going to enjoy. You hear me.” 

Holly accompanied them to the entrance hall (while arguing with Harry about he should go), where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"

Holly decided this wasn’t really the time to bother with the idiot, so she ignored him, gave Harry a push, making him stumble a head and get in line with Hermione and Ron and then she made her solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a daze.

"Fortuna Major," said Holly, not really caring that she just woke up the Fat Lady.

The portrait swung open and after wondering whether she should go in or not, she climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first-and second-years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

"Holly! Holly! Hi, Holly!"

It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Holly and never missed an opportunity to speak to her and her brother. Though she didn’t seem to mind, she found the boy adorable and was always teasing the boy with Mad.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Holly? Why not? Hey --" Colin looked eagerly around at his friends -- "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Holly!" Holly looked at the group of second years looking at her expectantly.

"Maybe later, Colin. Thanks for asking me though." said Holly, giving the boy a hug and a smile, before waving goodbye to blushing boy and his friends. "I think I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done."

After that, she had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again.

"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after Holly as the redheaded girl walked away. Holly shrugged, she shouldn’t have gone around there then, maybe.

So instead, Holly wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there she changed her mind; she didn't feel like working. She turned around to go back and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Holly truthfully. She felt oddly tired and didn’t really feel like talking.

"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own -- why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

Holly shrugged at the caretaker. Whatever.

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until Holly had passed out of sight. She made a face and tried to think about where to go next. Back to common room?

But Holly didn't go back to the common room; instead, she climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Heidi and Hedwig or maybe visit Fawkes in Dumbledore’s office, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Holly?"

Holly jumped, startled and turned back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron, Harry and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," said Holly, in a would-be casual voice. She furrowed her eyebrows; he didn’t know when Hogsmeade trip was? I mean, after all, he did give Harry the permission.

"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Holly for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" said Holly, tilting her head, confused.

She curiously followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers. Holly raised her eyebrows in wonder.

"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle. Your…friends Miss Baker and Miss Leyba seemed particularly interested in covering them in class."

The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"All right…" said Holly, a little awkwardly.

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid -- but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Holly looked at him, surprised. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" She asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing her a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Holly, shrugging. After her meditation session with Mad she felt a lot better and realized how ridiculous it was to think tea leaves determined her death. “Hermione, Mad, and Shannon helped to show me how silly I was acting over the prediction.”

Lupin looked shocked that Mad and Shannon, two Slytherins, had helped her, a Gryffindor. Both houses were considered bitter enemies, but Holly had been friends with Mad, Shannon, and Christian since first year. She remembered how Ron and Harry had a hard time believing the trio of Slytherins were nice, but after two years and all the help they had given them the boys had finally come around.

Holly thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog she and Harry had seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. She certainly didn't want Lupin to think she was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think she couldn't cope with a Boggart.

Something of Holly's thoughts seemed to have shown on her face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Holly?"

"No," Holly lied, shrugging yet again. She drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at her. She controlled her urge to snort at the creature. But then…

"Yes," she said suddenly, putting her tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"

"Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it? Is it cause you didn’t think I could take it? Is it because I fainted on the train? Do I look that weak? I think I’m just as good as the rest of the class so I don’t understand-" said Holly abruptly, all her worries spewing out.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Holly," he said, sounding surprised.

Holly, who had definitely expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

"Why?" she said again, tilting her head at the new Defense Against the Dark Arts’ Professor.

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you or Harry, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

Holly stared, suddenly lost in thought. Not only was this the last answer she'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person Holly had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from herself and Harry) was Professor Dumbledore.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Holly. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort, and I didn’t really think of Harry injured either," said Holly honestly, feeling horrible because she might not care enough for Harry. But she knew that she trusted Harry enough to take care of himself. Still it felt really weird.

"I – I kind of remembered those Dementors." Holly looked away, self-conscious.

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well...I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Holly’s face as her attention snapped back to her new Professor. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is -- fear. Very wise, Holly."

Holly didn't know what to say to that, so she drank some more tea, pursing her lips.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

"Yes…" said Holly, feeling her cheeks go red due to embarrassment. However, she was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors --"

However, she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Holly, his black eyes narrowing. Holly wondered what the Potions Professor was doing there. 

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Holly and Lupin.

"I was just showing Holly the Grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, Yes, I will," said Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Holly didn't really like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

Holly looked curiously at the goblet, she was excellent at Potions but still, she couldn’t figure out which Potion that was. Lupin smiled.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why --?" Holly began to question what was wrong with him to have to drink an especially complex potion. Lupin looked at her and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Professor Lupin took another sip and Holly thought that it was more than just sickness.

She watched as Lupin took another gulp of the potion and furrowed her eyebrows. He soon enough drained the goblet and pulled a face. He saw Holly staring at him. She should search up on that potion.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Holly, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later. I’m looking forward to seeing you perform."

"Right," said Holly, nodding as she snapped out of her thoughts, putting down her empty teacup.

She suspiciously watched empty goblet that was still smoking.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Holly’s lap. It was dusk, and Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"Thanks," said Holly, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Is it really like how Fred and George say it is? Where did you go?”

By the sound of it -- everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.

"The post office, Holly! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

“The shopping was fucking amazing~ I got this great double layer Italian brocade fabric and some maroon taffeta that would go great with some gold embellishments!”

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look --"

“Zonko’s had favoloso pranking gear! I got some to play on Filch!”

"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks --"

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up --"

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Holly. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..."

She told them all about the goblet. Harry stared at her in surprise and Ron's mouth fell open. Mad, Shannon, and Christian seemed to understand something they didn’t.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

Hermione checked her watch.

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast will be starting in five minutes,” They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he -- you know --" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to -- to poison Lupin -- he wouldn't have done it in front of Holly."

“Yeah, first rule of murder: no witnesses.” said Shannon.

"Yeah, maybe," said the redheaded girl as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.

The food was delicious; even Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. On the other hand, Holly kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Holly moved her narrowed green eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was it her imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?

Once the feast finished the girls rose from their seat ready to perform.


	82. Bk 3: Ch19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the song. It's Ghost Just Wanna Dance from Club Penguin.

Before the students could react the torches lighting the Great Hall were all blown out, shrouding the hall in darkness with only illumination coming from the stars on the enchanted ceiling. Holly, Mad, Shannon, Becca, Abby, and Cassie quickly got into position. Shannon quietly and quickly counted the band off. Holly took a breath and began to sing:

 _Night falls on a spooky scene,  
D_ _eck the icy halls with orange and green,_  
As the shadows rise here in this castle,   
From the darkness there's a distant scream,

 _Whoa, that sounds like it's getting closer!_  
Drums are getting louder, bass is getting lower,   
When the shadows spin, you'll be joinin' in,   
But first you gotta find the key

The Hogwarts ghosts flew into the Great Hall glowing in the darkness, shining light on the band making their costumes seem scarier. Some student gasped in fright, while others looked in wonder. Some girls swooned over Holly and Mad’s cross-dressing outfits.

_Who knows what is behind that door?  
Creeping up on the floor_

The ghosts popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.

 _There's music seeping out of every room,_  
Follow the noises down, Inside the gloom,   
Frozen still in fright, like in out of sight,   
Of a ghost dancing on a tomb

_Who knows what is behind that door?  
Creeping out on the floor_

_We're not here to freak you out,_  
We just came to shake it down,   
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, lift up your wands,   
The ghosts just wanna dance.   
Only want to haunt your dorm room,   
Give you chills and party with you,   
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, lift up your wands,   
The ghosts just wanna dance

The ghosts began to dance and bounce around to the beat, twirling and floating in a beautiful pale luminescence. Holly thought it was like watching fireflies at night.

 _All the ghosts are getting crazy,_  
But they're not here to scare you,   
Just to haunt the dance party,   
Every ghost is here who came to get their creep on,   
So I'm spinning this song,   
Use  your spooky spooky voices as you're singing along

_Aaaaaah, aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_We're not here to freak you out,_  
We just came to shake it down,   
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, lift up your hands,   
The ghosts just wanna dance,   
Only want to haunt your dorm room,   
Give you chills and party with you,   
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, lift up your wands,   
The ghosts just wanna dance,   
The ghosts just wanna dance,   
The ghosts just wanna dance!!!!

The band and the Hogwarts ghosts bowed at the standing ovation they got. As soon Dumbledore sent their instruments back to their dorms, Shannon quickly went to hit on some older Hufflepuff and Gryffidor girls. Hermione and Harry had to help pry younger students from Holly and Mad’s arms. Apparently looking very handsome according to Lavender and Parvati, who were swooning at the two girls. Holly had to beat off Fred and George who seemed a little too interested in seeing her fake fangs. They spent the rest of their time taking a bunch of photos and signing some autographs for their fans.

It had been such a pleasant evening that Holly’s good mood couldn't even be spoiled by her costume riding up on her or Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!"

She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Holly bit her lower lip and peered over the heads in front of her. The portrait seemed to be closed. What’s wrong?

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password -- excuse me, I'm Head Boy-"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Holly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my --" Hermione (and Neville) grabbed Holly’s arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

 Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused. Holly could understand the confusion but she far too lost in thoughts to even think about it. Her mind raced with thoughts of why, how, what and such as she tried to process what had just happened.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..."

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry, Holly and Hermione; they seized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner. However, Holly was started as she was pulled back by someone. She turned and saw one of the Weasley twins tugging on her arm. It was Fred.

Holly’s mind stopped racing and she furrowed her eyebrows. But neither of them spoke, until Holly couldn’t take the silence.

“What do you want?” said Holly.

“Don’t go wandering tonight,” said Fred. Holly tilted her head slightly, confused before she realized what he meant.

“What, no, no, we’re not—” Holly was cut off by Percy.

“Hurry to your places, enough talking!” said Percy. Holly pursed her lips and waited until Percy moved onto the next group.

“We know you, Harry, Ron and Hermione go wandering around the castle a lot, especially when it’s dangerous,” said Fred, not really caring about what Percy just said. He could care less about that.  

Holly felt herself go red in the face. Who was he to dictate what she would or wouldn’t do?! She has proven enough time that she can take care of herself! She looked behind her and saw Harry, Hermione and Ron.

“You’re not my babysitter, Fred!” said Holly. “I said we won’t! Besides we don’t want to be caught!”

Fred shook his head at her, pursing his lips causing Holly to rub the back of her neck.

“Stay with Harry,”

Holly scowled and hurried over to her friends. Ron raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing due to the glare she gave him.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower..."

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Hermione shuddered.

All around them, people were asking one another the same question: "How did he get in?"

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.

"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

“Or maybe he’s living in the fucking forest eating fucking acorns and squirrels like the dogshit bastard he is! Now got to sleep!” hissed Shannon, in a bad mood because she was missing her precious beauty sleep. Her hair curlers were crooked, her pink furry face mask askew, and her seaweed face mask still on her face.

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to Harry, Ron and the ever so quiet Holly, who was looking around at people.

"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages; they'll have them covered..."

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, as Holly blinked, she felt as though she were sleeping outdoors in a light wind.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Holly, who was wide awake, watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from her, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."

Holly narrowed her eyes as she heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. Holly raised her eyebrows and kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched..."

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.

Oh she certainly wanted to know that, Holly raised her head very slightly off her arms to free her other ear. She tried not making any noise.  

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

Holly opened her bright green eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to her, but she could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profile, which looked angry.

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before -- ah -- the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.

"It seems -- almost impossible -- that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed --"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."

Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.

Holly stayed still for a moment before she glanced sideways at Harry, Ron and Hermione. All three of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.

"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.

Holly let out a barely audible sigh.

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub. Holly almost lost her cool, a flowering shrub? That was too much.

On the other hand, the Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer." Yeah, brave.

However, Sir Cadogan was honestly the least of Holly's worries. She was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with her, and Percy Weasley (acting, Holly suspected, on his mother's orders) was tailing her everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. To cap it all, Professor McGonagall summoned Holly into her office, with such a somber expression on her face Holly thought someone must have died.

"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Ms Potter," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black --"

"I know he's after me," said Holly wearily as she locked her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth. "I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic."

Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback. She stared at the redheaded girl for a moment or two, and then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Ms Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Ms Potter --" Holly’s eyes widened and she stopped rocking. 

"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Holly, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"

Professor McGonagall considered her intently. Holly knew that the Transfiguration Professor was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested the redheaded girl as Seeker in the first Place and Harry as a Chaser. Holly waited, holding her breath as she looked at her Professor.

"Hmm..."Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well...goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last...but all the same, Ms Potter...I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."

 The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

"Why?" chorused the rest of the team.

"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..."

There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder.

"There's nothing wrong with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry furiously. "He's faking it!"

"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly, "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style is quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory --"

Angelina and Katie suddenly giggled.

"What?" said Wood, frowning at this light-hearted behavior.

"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina, sharing a look with her fellow female Quidditch players. Holly scooted away. 

"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.  Holly furrowed her eyebrows. Strong and silent?

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently causing Holly to roll her eyes, she was sure Fred hadn’t even met this Cedric guy. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Holly caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"

"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We must win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. Seriously."

“Don’t underestimate the Hufflepuffs~” said Shannon, popping out of nowhere.

“Si, you should never underestimate the enemy.” added Mad, popping out next to Shannon, surprising the Quidditch team.

“Their right, Weasley. You should-Wait what are you two doing here?!” Oliver pointed at the two Slytherins.

“We were spying on you~” chimed Shannon, sending wink towards Angelina.

Oliver sputtered and began babbling about how all their secrets and plays were exposed. Mad had enough and stopped the boy’s lips with her hand.

“Calma down, cutie.” Mad gave a flirtatious smile to Wood. “We would like to assister in your team’s… _training._ I’d love to go over some _plays_ I thought up with _you_.”

“We just want to help our _favorite_ Quidditch team win~” purred Shannon as she cozied up closer to Katie.

Holly sighed, thinking she should change her choice of friends.


	83. Bk 3: Ch20

The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.

However, Holly didn’t pay much attention to Malfoy or the Slytherin team; she had no room in her head to worry about anything except the match tomorrow. Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to her between classes and giving her tips. It was getting a little out of hand, and a lot of people were getting the wrong impression through this.

The third time this happened, Wood talked for so long that Holly suddenly realized she was ten minutes late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a run with Wood shouting after her, "Diggory's got a very fast swerve, Holly, so you might want to try looping him --"

The redheaded girl skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open, and dashed inside.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I --"

But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at her from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

But Holly didn't move from her place.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" she said, ignoring the looks she was getting from the other students.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

But Holly still stayed where she was.

"What's wrong with him? Is he okay?"

Snape's black eyes glittered.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Holly walked slowly to her seat and sat down, biting her lower lip. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far --"

"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start --"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you -- I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss --"

Holly watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.

"-- werewolves," said Snape. Holly’s eyebrows furrowed.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks --"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air. Holly pursed her lips at the Professor, she liked answering questions in Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons, but seeing Snape even here made her suspicion grow. On the other hand, she couldn’t help but worry, what was up with Professor Lupin?

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between --"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on --"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf --"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. Holly felt anger pump through her veins as she glared in front of her. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin. 

"Very poorly explained...That is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia...Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Holly, Harry and Hermione, the latter most glad that her redheaded best friend hadn’t done anything stupid as well, left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the Boggart?"

"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon..."

Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage. Holly looked at the Weasley in confusion.

"D'you know what that --" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say "Ron!") "-- is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

Next morning, Holly woke extremely early; so early that it was still dark. For a moment she thought the roaring of the wind had woken her up. Then she felt a cold breeze on the back of her neck, her eyes widened and sat bolt upright -- Peeves the Poltergeist had been floating next to her, blowing hard in her ear.

"What did you do that for?!" said Holly furiously, glaring at the Poltergeist. Peeves puffed out his cheeks, blew hard, and zoomed backward out of the room, cackling. “Get back here, you little bastard!”

Holly snarled to herself and fumbled for her, as usual, green alarm clock and looked at it. It was half past four. Cursing Peeves for ruining one her better nights where she could actually sleep, she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but it was very difficult, now that she was awake, to ignore the sounds of the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest.

In a few hours she would be out on the Quidditch field, battling through that gale. She looked across the dormitory and saw all of her dorm mates sleeping peacefully as if everything was perfectly alright. Holly wondered, was it perfectly alright? She rolled over and stared out the window, it was dark outside, obviously, and Holly could barely make out the things outside when the thunder crackled.

Finally, she gave up any thought of more sleep, got up, dressed, picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand, and walked quietly out of the dormitory. She wanted to get away from her thoughts. But they always found their way back to her.

As Holly opened the door and walked outside to the stairs, she saw something hurrying towards the boys’ dormitory; Holly tilted her head and grabbed the thing off the floor. It was Crookshanks. Holly pursed her lips at her best friend’s new cat.

"You know, I reckon Ron was right about you," Holly told Crookshanks suspiciously. "There are plenty of mice around this place -- go and chase them. Go on," she added, putting him away from the stairs that went to the boys’ dormitory. "Leave Scabbers alone."

The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. Holly knew better than to think the match would be cancelled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles like thunderstorms. Nevertheless, she was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to him in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth year and a lot bigger than Holly.

Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course. Holly felt extremely sick to her stomach. She wondered if something would go wrong. She didn’t want anyone to get injured in such weather. Especially Harry. She heaved a sigh and went to the fire place and sat down.

Holly whiled away the hours until dawn in front of the fire, getting up every now and then to stop Crookshanks from sneaking up the boys' staircase again. At long last Holly thought it must be time for breakfast, so she headed through the portrait hole alone.

"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.

"Oh, shut up," Holly yawned, waving her hand over at the portrait, not in the mood to play with him today.

Down at the breakfast, Holly revived a bit over a large bowl of porridge, and by the time she'd started on toast, the rest of the team had turned up.

"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Katie soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."

“Yeah, a little rain never killed anyone.” said Shannon, trying to fix her hair so it wouldn’t frizz out from all rain.

But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Just before he entered the locker room, Holly solemnly saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at her from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.

She suddenly felt tired as Harry dragged her along the rest of the Quidditch team, she was used to people laughing at her but for some reason, and it was really affecting her at the moment. Her attention snapped towards the twin beaters and saw them giving her thumbs up. Holly smiled weakly.

The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.

The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Holly tried to look everywhere she could, it was awfully dark due to the thick clouds and she shivered slightly.

The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. Holly saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." She pulled her right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over her Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant -- they were off.

Holly rose fast, but her Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind. She bit her lower lips harshly and held it as steady as she could and turned, looking out for the snitch.

Within five minutes Holly was soaked to her skin and frozen, hardly able to see her teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. It kind of hurt to move in such severe weather. She flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. She couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice Holly came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; she was started to feel extremely scared for some reason. She hated being alone. 

Holly lost track of time soon enough. It was getting harder and harder to hold her broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Holly nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, she could hardly tell them apart as she shouted a few apologies as she zoomed away from them...

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Holly could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing her to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud. Harry immediately wrapped his arm around his sister.

"I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here --"

They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes.

"What's the score?" asked Holly.

"We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."

"I can’t see the Quaffle with these," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.

Holly’s thoughts raced before her eyes widened.

“I know what we can do, give me your glasses, quickly!” said Holly, reaching out for his glasses with her one hand and grabbing her wand from her other, obviously they didn’t take their wands with them up in the air.

Harry handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Holly tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!" Oh the perks of having Hermione Granger as a best friend.

"There," she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water,"

Wood looked as though he could have kissed her.

"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"

The teams were back in the air, Holly trying her best to look for the snitch. She felt extremely numb and it hurt but she was now full of determination. She urged her broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction...

There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Holly needed to get the Snitch quickly –

She turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Holly saw something that distracted her completely, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats. Holly’s heart clutched.

The redhead’s numb hands slipped on the broom handle and her Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking her sodden bangs out of her nervous green eyes, she squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished. She jumped, startled as the rubber band snapped and her hair fell over her back. Oh no.

"Holly!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "Holly, behind you!"

Holly looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them...

With a jolt of panic,  Holly threw herself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.

"Come on!" she growled at her Nimbus as the rain whipped her face. "Faster!"

But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Holly had gone suddenly deaf -- what was going on?

And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over her, inside her, just as she became aware of something moving on the field below...

Before she'd had time to think, Holly had taken her eyes off the Snitch and looked down.

At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at her, were standing beneath her. Holly stifled a scream as she felt her heart stop and clutch dangerously. It was as though freezing water were rising in her chest, cutting at her insides. And then she heard it again...Someone was screaming, screaming inside her head...a woman...

"Not them, not Holly and Harry, please not them!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl...stand aside, now..."

"Not them, please no, take me, kill me instead --"

Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Holly’s brain...What was she doing? Why was she flying? She needed to help the woman...She was going to die...She was going to be murdered... Holly wanted to clutch her head, it hurt so much that she felt like fainting at the given spot. Her eyes watered up and Holly let it all go.

She was falling, falling through the icy mist.

"Not  my babies! Please...have mercy...have mercy..."

A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and  Holly knew no more.


	84. Bk 3: Ch21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Been going through some stuff, but everything's good now.

"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought she was dead for sure."

“It didn’t help that Shannon screamed ‘Oh my gods!? Holly’s dead?!’ You idiota.”

“Hey if it wasn’t for Cassie and me she’d be bleeding out into her lungs with her ribs stabbing into her heart before we could even get her into fucking castle!”

“Don’t say that!”

Holly could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. She didn't have a clue where she was, or how she'd got there, or what she'd been doing before she got there. All she knew was that every inch of her was aching as though it had been beaten. Her head hurt the worst; it felt as if someone had made sure to strike two sixes using her head as a ball.

“She looks sickly.”

“Sickly! What do expect she fell over a hundred feet!” said Fred, angry.

“Yeah, come on, Ron let’s toss you off the Astronomy Tower,” said George, frantic.

“And see how you feel!” they said together.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Scariest...the scariest thing...hooded black figures...cold...screaming... 

Suddenly, Holly’s eyes snapped open. She was lying in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around her bed. Abby, Cassie, Shannon, Mad, Becca, Christian, Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.

"Holly!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath, the mud. "How're you feeling?"

Everyone’s attention snapped towards Holly, and before she knew it, she found herself in engulfed in a tight hug. Harry. But her thoughts ever somewhere else, it was as though her memory was on fast forward. The lightning...the Grim...the Snitch...and the Dementors...

"What happened?" she said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped. Harry tried to convince lay back down but Holly kept shaking her head, making it far worse than it originally was. If possible.

"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been -- what – two hundred feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Kate, who was shaking. 

“We were sure you died.” stated Shannon. “It was like a flaming red comet or meteor falling to earth.”

“Technically she’d be a meteorite since she didn’t burn up before impact.” corrected Abby.

Harry let out a huge, angry sigh, clearly showing how stuff like that was making him furious. When he had gotten the news, or well, seen Holly falling down, his blood had ran cold. He couldn’t think or move, and it horrified him that how close his sister was from her possible death. He was so sue he was dead when he saw the dull lookin her eyes and blank expression on her face when she was on the ground. He tried to get rid of the thoughts but everyone kept repeating it.

Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot. Harry moved out of the way as she practically threw herself on the redheaded girl, sobbing, Shannon, Abby, and Cassie doing the same. It hurt Holly, both the tight hugs and the crying, but she tried not to think of it.

"But the match," said Holly, suddenly, scared. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"

No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Holly like a stone as she looked at everyone desperately.

"We didn't -- lose?"

"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realize what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square...even Wood admits it. It’s not your fault, Holly."

"Where is Wood?" asked Holly, suddenly realizing he wasn't there as the girls pulled back, sniffing.

"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

Holly groaned loudly and placed her face to her, her hands gripping her hair. George rubbed her shoulder slightly. Fred sighed.

"C'mon, Holly, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George, trying to console the girl, who tried her best not to let her tears spill. This was horrible.

"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points."

"Right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin..." Holly begin, clearing her throat.

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw..."

"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff..." said Becca.

"It all depends on the points -- a margin of a hundred either way --" said Abby.

Holly let out a huge sigh and dropped back, not caring about the pain that went through her back. She didn’t say a word after that. They had lost...for the first time ever, she had lost a Quidditch match.

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave her in peace.

"We'll come and see you later," George told her, ruffling her hair slightly. "Don't beat yourself up. Holly, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron and Hermione moved back nearer to Holly's bed.

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground.”

“But not fast enough apparently!” commented Shannon, thinking of all the healing magic her and Cassie had to do so keep her barely alive.

“Enough, Shannon! So then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away...He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him --"

"Then Snape magicked you onto a stretcher," said Mad. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. I never saw him looked so worried. Everyone thought you were..."

Her voice faded, but Holly had hardly noticed that. Her thoughts were on what the Dementors had done to her… and the screaming voice… She shuddered slightly and looked towards her brother and friends. They seemed to have been looking at her so anxiously that she quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?"

They looked quickly at each other.

"Er --"

"What?" said Holly, looking from one to the other. Harry dropped onto the seat next to her bed. He knew how much it meant to her….

"Well...when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit -- it hit -- oh, Holly -- it hit the Whomping Willow." said Mad, not being able to look Holly in the eye.

And Holly's insides lurched. No…. no.

"And?" she asked, hesitantly, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It -- it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Shannon trying to sound somewhat cheerful.

Slowly, Hermione reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Holly's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.

Holly froze and she felt like crawling into a hole to die.

And for the rest of the weekend, Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Holly in the hospital wing, just in case. However Holly didn't really argue or complain at all, but she wouldn't let the Madam throw away the shattered remnants of her Nimbus Two Thousand. She knew she was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Holly simply couldn't help it; she felt as though she'd lost one of her best friends. It was really pathetic but Holly just couldn’t help it. She just wanted to stay in bed and think.

However, Holly had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering her up. Hagrid sent her a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages (and confused her for a moment or two). Shannon, Abby, and Cassie came in their Gryffindor cheerleading outfits and did their choreographed pyramid cheer they created for her. Mad even brought Fang, Christian, in his dog form, her hamster, Elvira, and her bunny, Zanthros, thinking some furry companionship would help her glum chum. The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Holly (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame her in the slightest. Holly, who felt extremely disappointed in herself, tried to make it up to him somehow but couldn’t. She ruined their chances. Mad, Shannon, Christian, Harry, Ron and Hermione left Holly's bedside only at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make the redheaded girl feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling her.

She hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Mad, Shannon, Ron and Hermione, and especially not Harry, because she knew Ron would panic, Mad and Shannon would probably believe her and go looking for it, Hermione would scoff and Harry would probably lose his mind. He was already snapping at people who spoke about how Holly was at verge of dying and exaggerating the incident. The fact remained, however, that the Grim had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, she had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from her broomstick. Was the Grim going to haunt her until she actually died? Was she going to spend the rest of her stupid, not-going-anywhere-but-trouble life looking over her shoulder for the beast? How long could she survive like this? Why only her?

And then there were the Dementors. The horrible, horrible Dementors. Holly felt sick and humiliated every time she thought of them. Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one. No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents.

Because Holly now knew who that screaming voice belonged to. She had heard the woman’s words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while she lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. When the Dementors approached her, she heard the last moments of her mother's life, her attempts to protect her and her brother, Harry, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her... Holly dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake to dwell again on her mother's voice. It was horrible.

All the while in the hospital wing, no matter how much she tried to distract herself, she was caught up with her thoughts whenever she was left alone at night. And even if tried to sleep to calm herself down, everything would just reply in her dreams. She had no escape, she needed to face it all, and certainly wouldn’t go and hide in the corner of her dormitory. Holly gazed up at the ceiling of the hospital wing.

It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where she was forced to think about other things, even if she had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Holly falling off her broom.

Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Holly, who was sitting next to her brother, Mad, and Ron, didn’t even acknowledge the hard time Mad was having controlling Harry from punching the blonde git, she was too tired for drama. However, her hard work went in vain when Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor and Ron to receive a light slap on the back of his head by Holly (who even though glaring at him, couldn’t stop her giggling at Malfoy’s expression, even though it kind of hurt her).

"If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione."

Hermione peered around the classroom door.

"It's okay!"

Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes, though Holly wouldn’t really complain about that, she looked just a little less ill than him. Her green eyes had noticeable dulled over the weekend; she had bags under her eyes and looked much paler and frail than she originally did. However, as the class seated themselves, Professor Lupin smiled at the class, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves --"

"-- two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind --"

"-- he wouldn't listen --"

"-- two rolls of parchment!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!" Holly gave her a sympathetic look, she had finished the essay too, just barely though.

They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking.

"Lures travelers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead -- people follow the light -- then --"

The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass. Holly, who was feeling extra sensitive to her senses, flinched.

When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Holly among them, more like being pulled along by Harry, but --

"Wait a moment, Holly," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."

Holly gave Harry an assuring look (who let her go, knowing Lupin wouldn’t do anything to her) and doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth.

"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"

"No," said Holly, solemnly. "The tree smashed it to bits. It can never be prepared."

Lupin sighed.

"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

"Did you hear about the Dementors too?" said Holly with difficulty, her face relaxing to an emotionless expression.

Lupin looked at her quickly.

"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time...furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds...I suppose they were the reason you fell?"

"Yes," said Holly, letting out an inaudible sigh. She hesitated, and then the question she had to ask burst from her before she could even think twice. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just --?"

"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Holly's mind. "The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."

Why not Harry then? 

A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's grey hairs and the lines on his young face.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, and they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling; every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself -- soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to you, Holly, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they get near me --" Holly shifted her darkened green eyes towards Lupin's desk, her throat suddenly feeling tight. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."

Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Holly's shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment's silence, then --

"Why did they have to come to the match?" said Holly bitterly, pursing her lips.

"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up...I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement...emotions running high...it was their idea of a feast."

"Azkaban must be terrible," Holly muttered, looking at her DADA Professor. Lupin nodded grimly.

"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheery thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."

"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Holly said slowly, looking away. "He got away..."

Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it.

"Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible...Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long..."

"You made that Dementor on the train back off," said Holly suddenly realizing as her attention snapped back to Lupin.

"There are -- certain defenses one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

"What defenses?" said Holly at once, her eyes widening. "Can you teach me?"

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Holly -- quite the contrary..."

"But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them --"

Lupin looked into Holly’s determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well...all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."

Holly smiled wide.

Later that night Holly was sneaking into the Common Room, not being able to fall asleep again. She saw George Weasley sitting on the couch by the smoldering fire, looking to be counting some sweets. 

“Hey, George, where’s Fred?” asked from the staircase, She was half expecting Fred to jump out and scare her.

“He’s gone to the kitchen, wanted a midnight snack.”

“Phewwwwww…” Holly came up from behind the couch and bent over the top, letting her head fall onto George’s shoulder. Her hair falling over her face like a red curtain. She could feel him snicker.

“Are you alright?” asked George, smiling at the tickling sensation on his ear by Holly’s hair.

“I’m tired…” groaned Holly from under her hair curtain. 

“Well you did have quite a fall.” said George, his voice laced with sadness. “We tried to get to you, but…but you were…” 

Holly patted his head as she gave him a smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve been through far worse than this, remember?”

“Well you shouldn’t have to!?” snapped George, taking Holly by surprise. He looked like he about to explode. “Do you have any idea how scared we were?! How scared I was?! Seeing you on the ground with that dead look in your eyes?! I thought you were dead?! I thought I lost you?!”

She looked to see her face only a few centimeters from George’s, who had such sad look. She felt her hurt for making him feel this way. At that moment George felt so warm and smelled so good to her. He made her feel so at ease so many times and she wanted to d the same for him.

Before Holly’s mind could realize it she was leaning forward. Their lips met with such a fierce intensity that it stole the breath from her lungs. George’s hand tangled in her hair, his warm palm massaging her scalp.

His tongue licked the crease of her lips, his mouth softly moving Holly’s lips open. As their tongues tangled, Holly hungrily explored his mouth. He tasted like cinnamon and sugar, like the sweets from Honeydukes her brother and friends had brought her. Holly’s body tinged her heart pounding as he deepened the kiss.

The kiss was hungry and desperate, her lips warming up against his. Holly made a weird, small sound, moving closer to him, running her hands through his hair. Her heartbeat was in disarray and her body felt like it burning up. 

Holly found it hard to tell when to breathe, more often now then at the beginning. There was a desire to just keep the kiss going, to allow those sensations to linger. The feeling was wreaking havoc on her senses. Exhilaration gripped her mind, taking over her body, drowning her in a daze as the kiss continued. The sensations were both strange and desirable…she wanted more…How could she want more?

George parted from her, watching Holly’s expression, both in a light headed state.

“Holly?” he spoke softly, blushing deeply as his hand calming down her fiery tangled locks. “Hol…are…okay?”

Holly was still dazed, only able to hear about half of what was George was saying. The only thing registering in her mind was…

“My first kiss.” Realization set in leaving her murmuring in shock, feeling confused and mortified about what just happened. 

“Wha-”

They quickly separated when they heard the portrait hole swing open, revealing Fred who was carrying a bunch of cauldron cakes. He spotted the two, raising a brow. Holly was standing straight up and stiff as a board trying to keep her hair from turning a different color. She looked flustered, blushing, eyes watery and worried. George was nervously busying himself with counting his sweets, blushing as red as his hair. Neither of them was making eye contact. 

“Did I miss something?” asked Fred.

“Nothing!” the two said.

“Hmmmm…” Fred stared at them. Holly gulped, thinking he saw what they were doing. “Okay. Hey Holly, you want to eat some cakes with-”

“No thanks, Fred. I’m not hungry, besides I should get to bed.” said Holly quickly, not able to look at George without blushing. “Night guys.”

She hurried up the stairs and buried herself in her sheets, trying to calm her mind as she hugged Fielding, her stuffed Quidditch lion plush. 

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to comment, subscribe, and give plenty of kudos. More chapters to come~~~


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